PRINCETON,    N.    J. 


SAel/. 


Section  ^TTTZ^TTT. 

Number (i^J..?2  ./4rr^ 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/centennialhistOOpres 


James  Buckelew. 


CENTENNIAL 


Htstomcal  Exercises 


JAMESBURG,  N.J. 


1876. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

ALLEN,   LANE  &   SCOTT'S   PRINTING   HOUSE, 

No.  233  South  Fifth  Street. 
1876. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

History  of  Presbyterian  Church, 5 

Ground  Plan  of  the  Church, 24 

History  of  Sunday-school, 25 

Lessons  from  the  History, 27 

Centennial  Sermon, 29 

Fourth  of  July, 48 

History  of  Jamesburg, 53 


pnilTCETGlI 
i.tCStP  i»t»^ 
THSOLOGIC 


HISTORY   OF   THE    PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH. 


By  the  Pastor,  Rev.  B.  S.  Everitt. 


ON  Sabbath,  June  25th.  1876,  at  10  A.  M., 
a  goodly  number  gathered  in  the  lecture- 
room  for  a  praise-meeting.  The  pastor  led,  and 
song,  remarks,  and  prayer  expressed  gratitude 
to  God  for  his  goodness  to  the  church  during  the 
twenty-two  years  of  its  history.  Benjamin  Arbor, 
Jahu  Pierson,  D.  Van  Artsdalen,  Peter  Dock,  and 
J.  C.  Magee  taking  part.  The  prayer-meetings 
during  the  week  were  on  the  word  "Remember," 
and  at  one  of  them  Rev.  Peter  Stryker,  D.  D.,  of 
Saratoga,  N.  Y.,  gave  pleasing  thoughts  and  remi- 
niscences. In  the  church,  on  the  arch  spanning 
the  recess  back  of  the  pulpit,  was  the  motto, 
"What  hath  God  wrought?"  beneath  this  were  the 
dates,  1854  and  1876,  while  on  tables  at  each  side 
were  pyramids  of  flowers  arranged  with  great  taste 
and  skill  by  Mrs.  B.  S.  Everitt.  The  prayers  and 
hymns  were  all  full  of  expressions  of  gratitude, 
and  the  pastor  gave  the  history  of  the  church  in  a 

(5) 


sermon  from  the  text,  I.  Thess.  i.  3 : — "Remember- 
ing without  ceasing  your  work  of  faith  and  labor 
of  love  and  patience  of  hope  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  in  the  sight  of  God  our  Father." 

The  establishing,  maintaining,  and  advancing  a 
church  of  Christ  is  truly  a  work  of  faith  and  labor 
of  love,  calling  for  much  patience  as  discourage- 
ments meet  us,  and  yet  giving  occasion  for  a  good 
hope  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  This  general  truth 
has  been  abundantly  verified  in  the  history  of  this 
particular  church,  and  to-day  we  are  simply  to 
remember  your  work  of  faith  and  labor  of  love, 
together  with  that  of  your  co-laborers,  many  of 
whom  have  rested  from  their  labors  while  their 
works  do  follow  them.  We  are  not  old,  even  com- 
pared with  many  churches  in  this  new  country  of 
ours;  for  while  we  as  a  nation  celebrate  our  hun- 
dredth anniversar}%  we  are  as  an  infant  compared 
with  European  and  Asiatic  nationalities.  Though 
not  old,  we  have  yet  a  history  well  worth  recounting 
and  preserving.  Another  pen  will  prepare  and  soon 
give  to  you  the  matters  of  general  history  relating 
to  this  locality,  and  my  duty  lies  only  in  the  line 
of  religious  interests.  Those  interests  began  a 
century  or  more  ago,  when  David  and  John 
Brainerd  preached  to  the  Nesamis  tribe  of  Indians 
in  this  and  neighboring  localities.  That  early 
religious  interest  seems  never  to  have  been  lost. 

At  the  beginning,  or  very  early  in  this  century, 
religious  services  were  held  in  the  school-house, 
then  standing  near  the  present  residence  of  Cor- 
nelius Mount.     Thougfh  this  section  was  from  the 


first  settled  by  those  whose  predilections  were  Pres- 
byterian, yet  the  earliest  services  were  generally 
held  by  ministers  of  the  Methodist  Church,  and 
Rev.  Mr.  Fountain,  living  near  what  is  now  Texas, 
preached  occasionally,  and  during  one  year  came 
every  two  weeks.  The  people  expressed  great 
satisfaction  with  his  services,  gathering  from  dis- 
tances of  three  or  four  miles  and  giving  him  flour, 
meal,  and  other  products  as  his  pay.  When,  how- 
ever, the  next  year  an  effort  was  made  to  raise 
money  for  him  and  the  people  were  called  on  to 
give  that  article  there  was  a  great  falling  off  in 
attendance.  Their  possessions  were  chiefly  the 
land  and  its  products,  and  that  was  cheap  enough, 
for  the  section  hereabouts  was  bought,  in  i8o6,  for 
five  dollars  an  acre,  and  that  was  thought  an  ex- 
travagant price,  as  the  popular  estimate  of  its  worth 
was  eighteen  pence  an  acre.  It  was  an  old  wooded 
district  that  had  been  burnt  over  three  times  in 
eighteen  years  and  its  owners  were  better  able  to 
give  something  else  than  money  for  preaching  the 
gospel.  Indeed,  ever  since  then,  in  some  places,  it 
has  not  been  universally  popular  to  give  a  super- 
fluity of  that  article  for  a  like  service. 

At  John  Hoffman's,  towards  Englishtown,  the 
Methodists  held  regular  Sunday  evening  services, 
and  the  scattered  inhabitants  were  glad  to  walk 
even  from  here  to  attend.  Although  thus  early 
these  indefatigable  and  commendable  Methodist 
brethren  were  in  the  field,  they  yet  failed  to  hold 
or  fully  occupy  it,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Rice,  of  Spots- 
wood,  and  after  him  Rev.  William  R.  S.  Betts,  of 


the  same  church;  Rev.  Mr.  Woodhull,  of  Tennent 
Church,  and  his  son,  Rev.  Spafford  Woodhull,  of 
Cranbury,  occasionally  preached;  then,  later,  Revs. 
Manning,  of  Spotswood;  Luther  Van  Doren,  of 
Tennent;  and  Symmes  Henry,  of  Cranbury,  gave 
occasional  services.  Rev.  Mr.  Blythe  also  came, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Vincent  W.  Mount,  who  led 
the  singing.  Thus  the  people  insisted  on  and  were 
provided  with  religious  privileges  almost  from  the 
first  settlement  of  the  place.  They  were  not  satis- 
fied, however,  with  such  occasional  services  as  were 
thus  brought  to  them,  but  went  to  neighboring 
parishes.  Some,  especially  the  Van  Wickle  family 
and  that  of  William  Davison,  Jr.,  went  to  Cranbury 
First  Church,  and  a  little  later,  Alexander  Red- 
mond's and  S.  R.  Foreman's  families  in  the  same 
direction;  more,  however,  went  to  Spotswood.  A 
flat  car,  provided  with  Sunday  seats  for  the  purpose, 
was  drawn  by  a  mule,  and  often,  we  are  informed, 
thirty  or  forty  persons  would  thus  go  to  the  services 
of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Betts  at  Spotswood.  When,  how- 
ever, the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Cranbury 
was  organized,  a  number  of  families,  and  among 
them  James  Buckelew's  and  C.  G.  Snedeker's, 
became  identified  with  that  organization  and  con- 
tinued for  years  to  attend  worship  there.  In  1847 
the  old  school-house  by  Mount's  was  sold  and  two 
built — the  Monroe  School-house  as  it  now  is  and 
one  nearly  on  the  site  of  the  present  parsonage. 
This  latter  was  built  for  school  purposes;  but  to 
meet  the  wants  of  religious  worship  a  room  was 
partitioned  off  and  provided  with  pulpit  and  seats. 


and  connected  by  folding-doors  with  the  school- 
room. Here  Revs.  Henry  and  Blythe,  of  Cran- 
bury,  held  occasional  services,  with  now  and  then 
others,  till  in  the  spring  of  1850  Rev.  George  C. 
Bush  (now  of  Newtown,  Pennsylvania),  who  was 
preaching  at  South  Amboy  and  South  River,  came 
regularly  to  preach  here  every  other  Sabbath  even- 
ing, and  found  (as  he  says)  good  congregations  and 
attentive  hearers.  After  about  nine  months'  service 
he  yielded  the  work  to  Rev.  John  A.  Annin  (now 
of  Las  Vegas,  New  Mexico),  then  just  leaving  the 
seminary  at  Princeton.  During  Mr.  Bush's  labors, 
he  hoped  about  twelve  were  converted,  and  with 
these  he  expected  about  twelve  from  other  churches 
were  ready  to  enter  a  church  organization  which 
had  been  talked  of  for  a  time  and  then  took  more 
promising  form.  Mr.  Bush  writes : — "  I  shall  never 
forget  the  kindness  with  which  the  people  of  James- 
burg  treated  me.  They  sent  a  team  to  Washington 
for  me  and  gave  me  a  good  home  among  them, 
and  worked  and  prayed  with  me,  giving  oppor- 
tunity for  conversation  and  prayer  with  their  fami- 
lies. They  were  quick  to  discern  the  time  to  build 
and  organize." 

Although  the  prospects  when  Mr.  Annin  took 
charge  were  hopeful,  his  services  continued  but 
three  months,  to  July,  185 1;  after  which  there 
seems  to  have  been  no  regular  supply,  and,  indeed, 
services  were  held  with  much  irregularity.  The 
matter  was  not  allowed  to  rest,  and  the  next  tangi- 
ble thing  was  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1853, 
when   a   subscription   was   circulated   for  securing 


lO 

funds  for  a  church  building,  which  succeeded  so 
well  that  on  March  3d,  1853,  a  meeting  of  the 
subscribers  was  held  and  trustees  elected,  thus 
completing  the  legal  organization.  Those  first 
trustees  were  William  Johnson,  Alexander  Red- 
mond, Aaron  Gulick,  Edmund  Rue,  Joseph  C. 
Magee,  I.  S.  Buckelew,  and  S.  R.  Foreman, — all  but 
the  first  still  living  and  retaining  an  interest  in,  if 
not  connection  with,  the  church.  About  the  same 
time,  or  probably  a  year  before,  a  Ladies'  Sewing 
Society  was  formed,  which  has  ever  lived  and 
worked  with  a  fidelity  and  profit  that  has  no 
parallel  in  the  aids  and  organizations  within  the 
church.  Debts  have  by  it  been  paid;  each  enlarge- 
ment and  even  the  first  building  of  the  church  was 
only  decided  on  by  reason  of  its  liberal  pledges. 
At  the  first  enlargement  they  subscribed  $500,  and 
at  the  last  virtually  assuming  ^2000,  and  it  is  need-  • 
less  to  say  they  always  more  than  redeemed  their 
pledges.  When  thieves  desolated  the  sanctuary 
their  zeal  and  gifts  replaced  the  loss.  When  dust 
and  years  soiled  and  marred  the  temple,  their  gen- 
erosity painted  with  exquisite  taste  these  walls,  and 
every  enlargement  was  made  more  beautiful  and 
valuable  by  their  abundant  furnishing.  In  all  this — 
all  the  preliminary  labors,  Sunday-school,  Sewing 
Society,  plans  for  building  and  organizing — one 
godly,  invaluable  woman  was  and  is  still  to  a  very 
great  extent  the  moving  spirit  (Mrs.  M.  C.  Bucke- 
lew). Her  name  need  not  be  mentioned.  While  all 
her  efforts  were  nobly,  heartily,  generously  seconded 
by  her  honored  and  lamented  husband  and  their 


II 

worthy  children,  and  though  impartial  history  will 
always  give  due  credit  to  the  noble,  self-denying 
efforts  of  all  the  men  and  women  who  gave  and 
labored  and  prayed  so  faithfully  for  this  church, 
yet  it  can  find  but  one  on  which  of  right  it  may 
place  the  queenly  laurel. 

At  the  same  time,  in  the  beginning  of  1853,  a 
petition  was  signed  by  seventeen  members  of  other 
churches  and  twenty-nine  persons  not  members 
asking  the  Presbytery  of  New  Brunswick  to  or- 
ganize a  church  here.  In  response  to  this  a  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  Revs.  S.  C.  Henry,  J.  W, 
Blythe,  L.  H.  Van  Doren,  and  S.  D.  Alexander, 
met  here  on  June  6th,  1854,  and  organized  the 
church  with  eleven  members — John  C.  Vandeveer 
and  Hannah  his  wife;  Samuel  Marryott  and  Ann 
Maria  his  wife;  James  Mount  and  Mahala  his 
wife;  Margaret  C.  Buckelew,  C.  J.  Applegate,  Sarah 
Davison,  J.  B.  Johnson,  and  David  C.  Bastido. 
John  C.  Vandeveer  and  John  B.  Johnson  were 
elected  elders.  The  building  committee,  consisting 
of  J.  D.  Buckelew,  J.  C.  Magee,  and  S.  M.  Van 
Wickle,  had,  under  instructions  from  the  congre- 
gation and  trustees,  proceeded  to  erect  a  church 
building,  the  corner-stone  being  laid  on  September 
7th,  1853,  the  Rev.  George  C.  Bush,  of  Stewarts- 
ville,  and  Rev.  S.  D.  Alexander,  of  Freehold, 
conducting  the  exercises.  The  building  was  dedi- 
cated three  weeks  after  the  organization,  on  June 
26th,  1854  (twenty-two  years  ago  to-morrow),  the 
Rev.  S.  D.  Alexander  preaching  the  sermon.  The 
church,    now    organized    legally,    materially,    and 


12 

spiritually,  began  at  once  its  work.  Although 
before,  services  had  been  only  occasional,  now 
regular  Sabbath  services  were  held  and  the  church 
began  at  once  to  raise  money  for  paying  supplies, 
the  list  showing  thirty-nine  contributors  and  the 
amount  ;$i94for  the  first  quarter  ending  December 
31st,  1854.  The  supplies  were  largely  from  the 
students  of  the  theological  seminary  at  Princeton, 
although  the  names  of  Drs.  J.  C.  Moffatt,  L.  Atwater, 
J.  M.  McDonald,  Charles  Hodge,  and  Rev.  J.  W- 
Blythe  show  some  of  the  leading  ministers  of  the 
day  here  preached  the  Word.  These  supplies  were 
paid,  and  at  the  end  of  the  year,  on  June  30th, 
1855,  the  treasurer  made  the  gratifying  report  that 
$503.32  had  been  raised  for  the  year,  being  an 
excess  of  $148.59  over  what  had  been  paid  for 
supplies.  This  was  appropriated  to  paying  the 
debt  on  the  church,  and  $400  still  being  due  it  was 
apportioned  to  the  trustees  to  raise,  and,  as  no  after 
account  appears  of  it,  it  seems  to  have  been  suc- 
cessful. The  excellent  building  was  thus  built  and 
paid  for  almost  wholly  by  the  generosity  and  denial 
of  the  people  themselves,  no  aid  having  been  asked 
or  secured  from  any  board  or  agency  of  the  church. 
The  people,  now  convinced  of  their  ability  to  sup- 
port a  pastor  and  that  without  any  missionary  aid 
(a  thing  they  have  never  received),  called  Rev.  J. 
Halstead  Carroll,  on  February  2d,  1855,  at  $550 
salary,  and  his  ordination  and  installation  took  place 
on  May  30th,  when  Rev.  Charles  Hodge,  D.  D., 
presided.  Rev.  John  Hall,  D.  D.,  preached.  Rev.  W. 
H.  Green,  D.  D.,  charged  the  pastor,  and  Rev.  J.  M. 


13 

McDonald,  D.  D.,  charged  the  people.  The  new 
church  then  began  its  full  work  with  sixteen  mem- 
bers and  the  following  official  organization : — Rev. 
J.  H.  Carroll,  pastor;  J.  C.  Vandeveer,  Aaron  Gulick, 
and  J.  Bergen  Thompson,  elders;  J.  B.  Thomson, 
president  of  trustees;  Joseph  C.  Magee,  secretary; 
J.  D.  Buckelew,  treasurer;  Thomas  S.  Mershon, 
James  Mount,  I.  S.  Buckelew,  Alexander  Redmond, 
and  S.  R.  Foreman,  trustees;  William  H.  Courter 
had  charge  of  collecting  salary  and  renting  pews; 
Charles  A.  Craig  was  chorister,  Samuel  Marryott 
sexton,  and  J.  D.  Buckelew  Sunday-school  super- 
intendent. 

Arrangements  were  at  once  made  for  the  erec- 
tion of  sheds,  and  steps  taken,  in  the  beginning  of 
1856,  looking  to  the  securing  of  a  parsonage,  which, 
however,  did  not  fully  come  into  the  continued  pos- 
session of  the  congregation  till  some  years  later, 
1864.  Mr.  Carroll  continued  as  pastor  till  Febru- 
ary 2d,  1858,  and  during  the  time  the  church  was 
visited  by  a  precious  revival  of  religion  and  con= 
tinued  increase  of  membership,  and  when  he  left 
the  church  had  one  hundred  and  twenty  members, 
seventy  having  been  added  in  the  year  ending  April 
1st,  1857.  James  Mount,  T.  Sorter  Mershon,  and 
William  H.  Courter  were  added  to  the  eldership. 
Not  long  were  they  left  without  a  pastor,  for  on 
August  loth,  1858,  Rev.  William  M.  Wells,  of  the 
theological  seminary,  Princeton,  was  elected,  on 
$550  salary  and  a  house.  He  accepted  the  call, 
and  was  ordained  and  installed  November  4th, 
1858,  Rev.  P.  O.  Studdiford,  D.  D.,  preaching  the 


14 

sermon,  Rev.  T.  D.  Hoover  charging  the  pastor, 
and  Rev.  R.  Taylor  the  people.  Though  transient 
distractions  had  depleted  the  congregation,  and  the 
new  pastor  was  yet  inexperienced,  God  gave  him 
great  wisdom  and  prudence,  and  smiled  on  his 
labors,  so  that,  notwithstanding  the  unusually  large 
number  of  twenty  left  the  church  by  dismission 
and  four  died  during  the  first  two  years  of  his 
work,  the  third  winter  brought  a  most  gracious 
revival,  resulting  in  adding  thirty  to  the  church, 
leaving  the  membership  in  the  spring  of  i86i  at 
one  hundred  and  thirty-five,  and  the  congregation 
in  precious  harmony.  The  very  breath  of  the  past 
brought  only  the  glad  and  the  prosperous  to  view, 
and  all  else  was  gone.  Henceforth  the  progress  of 
the  church  was  onward, — never  a  year  but  additions 
were  made  to  its  membership, — and  when  Mr.  Wells 
ended  his  pastorate,  July  ist,  1869,  after  almost 
eleven  years  of  service,  the  church  had  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  members,  had  sent  off  sixty-five  to 
other  churches,  and  twenty-six  had  gone  to  their 
last  reward.  A  scheme  of  systematic  benevolence 
had  been  introduced  and  worked  successfully,  yield- 
ing increasing  amounts  to  the  several  objects  of 
the  church's  benevolence,  till  the  last  year  (ending 
April,  1869)  the  amount  reached  the  commendable 
sum  of  ^429.  It  was  during  his  pastorate,  in  1864, 
that  the  present  excellent  parsonage  was  purchased, 
and  like  every  other  transaction  for  enlarging  the 
possessions  of  the  church,  it  was  done  without  any 
embarrassing  debt,  the  money  raised  that  year  for 
congregational  purposes  being  $2 191.    The  growth 


15 

of  the  congregation  calling  for  an  increase  of  room, 
the  church  was  enlarged  in  1867  by  an  extension 
of  twenty-eight  feet,  which  gave  thirty-six  new 
pews.  The  expense  was  about  ;^2500,  for  which 
two  subscriptions  stand  conspicuously  liberal — 
Ladies'  Sewing  Society  ^500,  and  James  Bucke- 
lew  ^500.  When  the  building  committee  reported 
the  completion  of  the  work,  and  ;^300  yet  due, 
prompt  action  was  taken  to  remove  the  entire  in- 
debtedness, thus  giving  another  occasion  for  com- 
mending the  meeting  of  necessary  expenses  without 
protracted  and  burdensome  debts.  It  shows,  too, 
the  very  material  increase  of  the  congregation, 
that  on  the  completion  of  the  enlargement  and  the 
reletting  of  the  pews  all  but  fourteen  were  let, 
making  seventy-six  rented  and  four  reserved  as 
free, — there  being  ninety-four  in  the  entire  church. 
While  through  this  very  faithful  pastorate  there 
were  few  great  religious  awakenings,  there  was 
still  a  very  healthy  and  constant  growth,  and  on 
the  retirement  of  Mr.  Wells,  his  successor  (Rev.  B. 
S.  Everitt,  of  Montclair,  N.  J.)  was  permitted  to  find 
harmony,  spirituality,  and  activity,  which  made  his 
reception  pleasant,  and,  by  God's  grace,  his  pastor- 
ate successful.  No  discords  were  to  be  healed,  no 
smoking  volcanoes  had  to  be  shunned,  no  irritating 
influences  had  to  be  allayed,  and  so  he  came  at 
your  call,  on  November  2d,  1869,  and  was  installed 
January  4th,  187c.  Rev.  J.  L.  Kehoo  preached. 
Rev.  A.  P.  Cobb  charged  the  pastor,  and  Rev.  F. 
Chandler  the  people.  Since  then  the  history  of  the 
church  is  familiar  to  vou  all,  and  were  it  not  that 


i6 

something  should  be  set  forth  for  coming  genera- 
tions, we  could  (and  certainly  gladly  would)  omit 
it  all.  But  God's  mercy  has  been  so  marked,  and 
to  the  praise  of  his  grace  we  record  a  few  facts. 
The  session  of  the  church  had  changed  during  Mr. 
Wells'  pastorate,  by  the  addition  of  James  P.  De 
Hart,  Cornelius  G.  Snedeker,  and  Cornelius  W. 
Johnson;  while  John  C.  Vandeveer,  J.  Bergen 
Thompson,  and  T.  Sorter  Mershon  had  been  dis- 
missed to  other  churches.  These  beloved  brethren, 
constituting  then  the  session  (two  of  whom,  Mr. 
James  Mount  and  Mr.  Cornelius  G.  Snedeker,  have 
gone  higher),  gave  us  most  hearty  welcome  and 
co-operation,  as  did  also  the  men  and  the  women 
of  the  congregation.  The  refitted  parsonage  Avas 
made  joyous  by  their  numerous  gathering  to  wel- 
come us  among  them,  and  has  many  a  time  repeated 
the  delightful  experience.  Whatever  donation- 
parties  may  have  been  to  other  pastors,  your  good- 
will and  general  attendance  and  generous  gifts  have 
made  them  always  exceedingly  delightful  as  well 
as  profitable  to  me  and  mine.  If  I  came  in  God's 
name,  he  came  with  his  own  revival  power  at  the 
very  outset,  and  the  winter  of  1869  and  1870  will 
be  long  remembered.  Probably  one  hundred  and 
fifty  professed  conversion,  and  one  hundred  and 
thirty-seven  united  at  one  time  with  the  church, 
on  March  6th,  1870  (one  hundred  and  twenty  by 
profession  of  their  faith).  It  was  a  great  work, 
and  to  God  be  the  praise.  Other  years  showed 
marked  increase,  and  the  winter  of  1873  and  1874 
brought   another   gracious    visitation,    and    added 


17 

fifty -two  to  the  church;  and  the  last  year  has 
brought  a  special  blessing  in  the  adding  of  ninety- 
eight  to  our  numbers;  so  that,  from  one  hundred 
and  sixty,  when  our  present  pastorate  began,  we 
now  number  four  hundred  and  twenty-one, — three 
hundred  and  seventy-four  having  been  added,  two 
hundred  and  eighty-nine  of  them  by  profession  of 
their  faith.  During  this  pastorate  the  parsonage  has 
been  enlarged  and  repaired.  The  main  audience 
room  of  the  church  has  been  enlarged  by  the  addi- 
tion of  twenty-two  pews,  the  lecture  and  Sunday- 
school  rooms  built  at  an  expense  of  about  $5000, 
while  ;$iOOO  and  more  have  been  expended  in 
frescoing  and  furnishing  the  church.  Incidental 
expenses,  though  increased  by  the  larger  congrega- 
tions, have  been  met  by  the  same;  and  the  financial 
exhibit  shows  an  annual  expenditure  of  over  ;^2000 
every  year  of  this  time  (the  salary  now  being  $  1 200), 
and  in  1 87 1  it  reached  the  sum  of  ;^7400.  A  scheme 
of  systematic  benevolence  has  secured  somewhat 
increased  contributions,  the  largest  amount  being 
in  the  year  ending  April  ist,  1875,  when  the  gifts 
were  ;^I389.  The  church,  in  its  twenty -two  years 
of  existence,  has  received  626  members — 429  by 
profession  and  197  by  certificate.  It  has  dismissed 
108  to  other  churches,  put  39  on  a  retired  list  (their 
whereabouts  and  churches  unknown),  suspended 
5,  while  54  have  died.  The  church  has  given 
$7306  for  benevolence,  and  paid  ;^4 1,636  for  its 
own  expenses.  Its  present  official  organization 
is — 

Pastor — Benjamin  S.  Everitt. 


i8 

Elders — William  H.  Courter,  James  P.  De  Hart, 
Cornelius  W.  Johnson,  Jahu  Pierson,  Joseph  C. 
Magee,  J.  B.  Tallman,  Marcellus  Oakey,  Alfred  W. 
Dey,  William  H.  Mount. 

Trustees — Jacob  B.  Tallman,  president  and  secre- 
tary; T.  W.  Hill,  treasurer,  and  H.  W.  Crosby, 
Alfred  Davison,  Brittain  Mount,  Alfred  W.  Dey, 
and  Gilbert  H.  Perrine. 

Miss  Hattie  P.  Pollock  is  organist;  Mr.  Farrell 
McNamee  is  sexton. 

J.  D.  Buckelew,  J.  B.  Tallman,  Garret  G.  Davison, 
Henry  H.  Miller,  and  James  H.  Eastman  are  Sun- 
day-school superintendents. 

Mrs.  James  Buckelew  is  president  of  Ladies'  So- 
ciety, and  Mrs.  B.  S.  Everitt  secretary  and  treasurer. 

The  Rev.  B.  S.  Everitt  is  treasurer  of  the  Benevo- 
lent Fund,  and  the  collectors  are  Libbie  V.  P. 
Pierson,  Nettie  De  Hart,  Anna  Pierson,  Amanda 
Coles,  Rosa  Vanderhoff,  Phebe  H.  Mount,  Anna 
Parks,  Anna  B.  Magee,  Blennie  Smock,  Maggie 
A.  Mount,  Hattie  Schenck,  Gertie  Applegate,  Ger- 
tie Pierson,  Ellen  Thomas,  Julia  Wanzer,  Anna 
Dey,  Laura  Mount,  Mary  Dey,  and  Mary  Foreman. 

Marcellus  Oakey  has  charge  of  tract  work,  and 
the  distributors  are  Mrs.  William  E.  Dey,  Mrs. 
C.  W.  Johnson,  Miss  Hannah  Schenck,  Mrs.  Anna 
McChesney,  Miss  Eliza  Foreman,  Miss  Anna  Dey, 
Miss  Louisa  Marsh,  Miss  Maggie  Parks,  Miss  Jane 
Redmond,  Miss  Gertrude  Snedeker,  and  Miss  Rosa 
Shultz. 

The  twenty-two  years  have  brought  great  bless- 
ings, and  among  them  we  would  remember  how 


19 

God  has  spared  our  members.  Fifty- four  have 
died,  and  it  is  a  very  small  percentage  of  deaths, 
and  of  the  original  eleven,  six  still  live, — only  four 
of  them  with  us,  viz.,  Samuel  Marryott,  Mahala 
Mount,  Margaret  C.  Buckelew,  and  Sarah  Davison; 
while  of  the  forty-six  petitioning  for  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  church  thirty  still  live.  Though  God 
has  graciously  spared  many,  the  dead  are  worthy 
■of  remembrance.  There  were  those  mothers  of  the 
church  that  first  fell — Mrs.  Alexander  Redmond, 
Hannah  O'Donnell,  and  Ida  Van  Wickle,  who 
soon  finished  their  work  for  us  here,  and  their 
activities  and  love  for  this  church  are  to  be  held  in 
grateful  remembrance.  Of  the  male  members,  Mr. 
Disbrow  M.  W.  Dey  was  the  first  to  enter  on  his 
reward.  Not  till  December,  1862 — eight  years 
after  the  organization — was  the  original  eleven 
broken  by  death.  The  first  to  fall  was  Mrs.  Ann 
Maria  Marryott. 

The  board  of  trustees  were  stricken  in  June, 
1 86 1,  when  Abraham  S.  Davison  passed  quietly 
and  in  hope  to  his  reward;  and  Alfred  Carman, 
another  member,  fell  at  Locust  Grove,  Virginia, 
November  27th,  1863,  battling  for  the  preservation 
of  his  country;  while  Andrew  McDowell,  John  G. 
Shultz,  Cornelius  V.  Pierson,  and  James  Redmond, 
all  were  trustees,  and  have  rested  from  their  earthly 
labors. 

The  session  on  June  13th,  1874,  followed  to  the 
grave  their  respected  co-laborer,  James  Mount,  who 
had  served  as  an  elder  eighteen  years  and  was  one 
of  the  original  members;  and  on  March  1st,  1876, 


20 

they  rendered  the  last  sad  service  for  CorneHus  G. 
Snedeker,  who  for  eight  years  had  filled  his  place 
as  an  elder.  These  two  men  were  w^orthy  of  the 
office  they  filled,  and  a  grateful  church  may  well 
cherish  their  memory. 

Others  have  fallen,  who,  though  holding  no  offi- 
cial relation  to  the  church,  have  yet  been  earnest, 
loving  members,  and  we  trust  are  with  the  redeemed 
to-day  in  glory.  Some  went  home  after  long  ser- 
vice, and  others  after  a  few  months  with  us, — each 
alike  joining  the  higher  and  purer  communion  of 
saints  above;  and  whether  youth  fell  in  the  midst 
of  its  hope,  or  full  age  in  its  prime,  or  advancing 
years  in  their  decline,  the  beauty  and  sufficiency  of 
our  blessed  religion  was  found  altogether  precious 
in  each  case. 

There  linger  now,  just  this  side  the  gate,  some 
tottering  ones,  having  a  desire  to  depart  and  be 
with  Christ,  yet  willing  to  wait,  viz,: — John  H. 
Mount,  aged  ninety-seven;  Sarah  Davison,  eighty- 
eight;  Aaron  Gulick,  eighty-six,  and  Camilla  Bar- 
calo,  aged  seventy-four.  They  are  still  among  us, 
but  too  feeble  to  be  here  to-day,  though  giving  their 
full  measure  of  praise  to  God  for  all  his  goodness. 

Others  of  almost  equal  age  have  just  left  us,  and 
still  a  few — the  veterans  in  the  service — first  and 
last  to  stand  by  our  church — are  here.  Oldest  and 
earliest  of  these,  Mr.  Alexander  Redmond  deserves 
special  mention;  while  a  kw  names  yet  unmen- 
tioned,  and  scarcely  to  be  called  old,  should  here 
have  a  record.  Joseph  C.  Magee,  one  of  the  first 
trustees,  on  the  building  committee  at  the  erection 


21 

of  the  new  church  and  at  each  of  the  enlargements, 
at  one  time  secretary  and  another  treasurer  of  the 
board,  always  in  its  Sunday-school  work,  and  for 
the  last  five  years  an  elder,  his  name  and  fidelity  is 
associated  with  all  the  progress  of  the  church. 
Side  by  side  with  him  is  William  H.  Courter,  now 
the  senior  elder,  having  been  twenty  years  in  the 
office,  and  for  several  years  the  very  efficient  clerk 
of  session;  at  one  time  treasurer  of  the  church;  for 
a  long  time  having  charge  of  the  renting  the  pews 
and  the  collectors  for  the  salary,  and  assistant 
superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-school  ever  since 
his  membership  in  the  church,  and  a  leader  in 
appointing  and  maintaining  its  prayer-meetings. 
Nor  less  prominent  and  faithful  in  the  membership 
has  been  John  D.  Buckelew,  who  has  been  super- 
intendent of  the  Sabbath-school  some  twenty-two 
years,  his  service  there  even  antedating  his  mem- 
bership. He,  too,  as  trustee,  as  at  one  time 
treasurer  and  at  another  secretary  of  the  board, 
as  on  two  of  the  building  committees,  and  as  an 
earnest  worker  and  co-laborer,  did  very  helpful 
service.  With  the  above  three  stands  Cornelius 
W.  Johnson,  a  trustee  eleven  years  and  then  elder 
eight.  He  with  them  has  stood  side  by  side  and 
worked  hand  in  hand  and  with  each  other  and 
the  rest — all  of  whom  may  God  bless.  These 
four  all  joined  the  church  at  one  time,  in  the  year 
1856,  and  God  alone  can  estimate  the  worth  of 
their  twenty  years  of  service.  Too  many  names 
arise  as  deserving  mention.  One — Mrs.  Isaac  S. 
Buckelew — who,  though    not   a    member,  yet  for 


22 

many  years  maintained  the  music  with  great  labor^ 
perseverance,  and  satisfaction  to  all.  Another,  Mr. 
Isaac  S.  Buckelew,  who  specially  counseled  and 
aided  the  financial  and  material  interests.  And  the 
godly  women,  Mahala  Mount,  Susan  H.  Mount,. 
Helen  H.  Pierson,  Letitia  Johnson,  Jane  and  Ellen 
Redmond,  Ursula  Davison,  Catharine  Ann  Courter, 
Ann  Mary  Applegate,  Phebe  Rodgers,  Nancy 
Mount,  Rachel  Davison,  Mary  A.  Golden,  Lydia 
Ellingham,  Margaret  Ann  Ried,  Phebe  W.  Griggs, 
Charlotte  Liming,  Elmira  Bowne.  These  have 
given  us  twenty  or  more  years  of  prayers  and  toils 
and  are  yet  among  us  with  the  same  old  love,  able 
and  willing  to  deny  and  give  and  do  for  our  beloved 
church.  Two  living  male  members  still  with  us 
count  back  a  like  period  (twenty  years  or  more)  of 
profession  and  service  and  have  not  before  been 
mentioned,  John  W.  Griggs  and  William  Elling- 
ham, while  James  C.  Davison,  John  Vanaken,  and 
Benjamin  Arbor  were  with  us  then  and  are  with  us 
now,  though  for  some  of  the  intervening  time  were 
away.  We  cannot  mention  the  younger  members 
or  tell  you  how  well  they  are  doing  for  the  Master 
and  His  church.  We  know  them  to  love  them. 
God  owns  their  works  and  gives  them  His  love  and 
the  offer  of  His  saving  favor.  May  no  jealousy 
incite  any  mind,  but  a  burning,  constant  zeal  for 
Christ  inspire  all  to  that  holy  rivalry  which  aims 
only  and  always  to  do  the  most  possible  for  Jesus 
and  His  blessed  church. 

Two  things  have  contributed  greatly  to  the  power 
of  the  church — its  prayer-meetings  and  its  revivals^ 


23 

We  can  trace  twenty  years  of  prayer-meetings, 
though  not  uninterruptedly.  John  D.  Buckelew, 
William  H.  Courter,  Joseph  C.  Magee,  and  Samuel 
Marryott  met  at  James  Buckelew's,  with  some  now 
gone  to  rest  and  neighbors  and  friends  still  living, 
and  held  the  first  prayer-meeting.  This  continued 
at  O'Donnell's,  Van  Wickle's,  Buckelew's,  Davi- 
son's, and  others,  and  gave  precious  seasons  of 
religious  communings  and  spiritual  power  which 
held  the  church  steadfast  to  the  truth  and  incited 
it  on  to  greater  progress.  The  praying  ones  and 
the  praying  times  have  a  most  precious  history — 
a  pleasure  and  a  potency  which  no  written  history 
can  give,  but  invaluable  for  souls,  for  the  Church, 
and  for  God's  glory.  Prayer-meetings  have  gone 
on  till  now  several  are  maintained,  and  many  of 
the  best  of  saints  have  grown  better  by  the  privi- 
leges of  these  meetings. 

Revivals  of  Religion. — So  many  times  God 
specially  near!  Seven  years  out  of  the  twenty-two 
have  there  been  additions  of  thirty  or  more.  In 
1856  there  were  33;  in  1857,70;  in  1861,  30;  in 
1870,  139;  in  1874,  52;  in  1875,  30;  in  1876,  98. 
Figures  tell  us  but  little  of  the  power  and  precious- 
ness  of  these  revivals.  When  we  recall  their  in- 
fluence on  the  church  members — the  joy  and  life 
they  gave  them — when  we  consider  the  delight  to 
parents  and  husbands  and  wives  and  children  as 
their  dear  ones  came  to  Jesus — when  we  think  of 
the  new  and  higher  life  God  gave  by  these — when 
we  feel  yet  the  glow  of  great  upliftings — when 
all  these  that  we  can  see  and  know  are  before  us, 


24 

and  we  still  realize  there  is  vastly  much  beyond — 
we  rejoice  and  praise  God  for  revivals,  and  at  every 
lessening  of  our  zeal  and  weakening  of  our  faith 
we  say, 

"  Saviour,  visit  thy  plantation," 


o 


Oh,  Lord  !  thy  work  revive 
In  Zion's  gloomy  hour." 


INFANT  CLASS  ROOM. 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL   ROOM. 


Stairs  to  the  Ladies' 

Sewing-room. 

i 

^ 

^ 

H 

* 

<  2 

m-i 

Pi's 

Oi* 

as" 

U4A 

^* 

S 

s 

a 

a: 

A 

-■ 

^ 

1 

z 

G    H.  Perrine 


A.  V.  McDowell. 


Enoch  Bergbn. 


W  G.  Mount. 


Francis  Davison. 


Benjamin  Arbor. 


Alexander  Re 


Brittain  Mount. 


Samuel  R.  Forma 


Ursula  Davisi 


Lhofold  Saun. 


John  D.  Buckblew. 


F.  Lemuel  Bucks 


William  H.  Courtbr. 


Nelson  B.  Smock. 


VESTIBULE. 


Mrs.C.S.H. Davison 


F.  McNameb. 


Wm.  H.Moun 


GROUND  PLAN  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


HISTORY  OF  SUNDAY-SCHOOL. 


ON  the  afternoon  of  Sabbath,  June  25th,  1876, 
the  Sabbath-school  assembled  in  its  room. 
J.  D.  Buckelew,  superintendent,  and  W.  H.  Courter, 
assistant,  gave  facts  and  reminiscences  of  the  ear- 
lier days  of  the  school,  and  the  pastor  contrasted 
these  with  its  present  prosperous  condition.  The 
singing  and  exercises  by  the  children  were  com- 
mendable, and  the  presentation  of  bouquets  to  the 
superintendent  and  assistant  superintendent  were 
highly  appreciated  and  happily  responded  to. 
Many  of  the  parents  and  friends  were  present. 
The  following  items  of  history  are  appended : — 

A  Sabbath-school  had  been  held  in  the  school- 
house  on  the  road  to  Englishtown,  half  a  mile 
from  the  mill ;  probably  organized  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Rice,  of  Spotswood.  William  West  was  super- 
intendent, and  Vincent  H.  Breese,  his  son-in-law, 
assisted  him.  The  exact  dates  cannot  be  given. 
In  1847  a  school-house  was  built  near  the  site  of 
the  present  parsonage,  and  a  Sunday-school  was 
there  conducted  under  the  joint  management  of 
Alexander  Redmond  and  Mrs.  James  Buckelew. 
The  seats  were  simple  slabs,  the  exercises  mainly 

(25) 


26 

Bible  reading,  and  the  first  library  books  were  a  gift 
from  the  Presbyterian  church  of  Freehold.  John 
D.  Buckelevv  became  superintendent,  and  William 
H.  Courter  assistant  superintendent,  about  1854, 
and  both  have  continued  with  the  school  in  these 
positions  till  the  present  time — about  twenty-two 
years.  The  school  has  ever  kept  up  with  the 
increased  advantages  afforded  for  Sunday-school 
work.  From  simple  Bible  reading  it  passed  to  the 
use  of  question  books  and  catechisms,  and  then  on 
the'  appearance  of  the  National  Series  of  Uniform 
Lessons  they  were  introduced.  It  has  been  liberally 
supplied  with  periodicals,  and  for  many  years  has 
contributed  to  objects  of  benevolence.  From  it 
sixty-eight  have  come  into  the  church  of  Christ, 
and  twenty-three  have  died. 

It  now  has  on  the  roll  one  hundred  and  thirty 
scholars,  with  the  following  officers  and  teachers : — 
B.  S.  Everitt,  pastor ;  John  D.  Buckelew,  superin- 
tendent ;  William  H.  Courter,  assistant  superin- 
tendent; John  D.  Courter,  secretary;  T.  W.  Hill,, 
treasurer;  J.  F.  Forman  Smock,  librarian  and  assist- 
ant treasurer;  and  Joseph  C.  Magee,  M.  Oakey, 
N.  B.  Smock,  D.  R.  Brown,  and  Mrs.  B.  S.  Everitt,. 
Mrs.  E.  B.  Brooks,  and  Mrs.  Joseph  C.  Magee,  with 
Misses  Mary  E.  Parks,  Eudora  Worts,  Blendina 
Smock,  Mary  E.  Shepherd,  Gertrude  Pierson,  Mar- 
garet A.  Mount,  teachers,  with  Mrs.  George  H. 
Smock  in  charge  of  the  infant  class.  It  raised 
last  year  for  current  expenses  $100.49,  ^'''<^'  ^^^ 
benevolence  $108.91,  of  which  sixty  dollars  were 
paid  to  support  two  girls  in  Normal  School  at  Myn- 
purie,  India,  and  twenty-five  to  Lincoln  University.. 


LESSONS  FROM  THE  HISTORY. 


IN  the  evening  (June  25th,  1876)  the  pastor 
preached  from  Psalm  Ixxvii.  10: — "I  will 
remember  the  years  of  the  right  hand  of  the  Most 
High,"  drawing  the  following  lessons  from  the 
history  of  the  church  : — 

I.  To  take  encouragement  in  our  hours  of  dark- 
ness from  God's  faithfulness. 

II.  The  indestructible  nature  of  a  church  of 
Christ. 

III.  The  power  of  a  church  and  of  religion  on  a 
community  {a)  temporally,  (d)  educationally,  (<f) 
morally,  [d)  religiously. 

IV.  The  power  of  woman's  influence  in  helping 
on  a  church. 

V.  Christian  fidelity  pays  [a)  in  Christian  growth, 
(i?)  in  successful  work. 

VI.  Increased  confidence  in  revivals  of  religion, 
in  (a)  the  character  of  the  members  brought  into 
the  church,  {i)  in  healing  of  disorders,  financial 
wants,  &c.,  {c)  in  the  curing  of  coldness  and  inac- 
tivity. 

(27) 


28 

VII.  The  oneness  of  the  church  above  and 
below. 

The  day  thus  occupied  closed  with  deep  convic- 
tions of  God's  goodness  to  the  church,  and  new 
resolves  of  faithfulness  to  Him. 


CENTENNIAL  SERMON. 


ON  Sabbath,  July  2d,  1876,  another  praise- 
meeting  was  held  at  10  A.  M.,  in  which 
gratitude  was  given  to  God  for  his  great  goodness 
to  our  country  during  its  hundred  years  of  exist- 
ence. The  pastor  presided,  and  Jahu  Pierson, 
James  P.  De  Hart,  W.  Edgar  Paxton,  J.  C.  Magee, 
and  the  pastor  took  part.  In  the  church,  back  of 
the  pulpit,  was  the  motto,  "  In  God  we  trust,"  and 
over  either  door  to  lecture-room  the  dates,  1776 
and  1876.  National  flags  beautifully  decorated  the 
pulpit,  the  organ,  the  chandelier,  and  lamp-brackets. 
The  services  were  opened  with  Keller's  American 
Hymn  by  the  organist.  Miss  Hattie  Pollock.  The 
audience  was  large,  including  several  strangers,  and 
though  the  sermon  was  an  hour  long  and  the  heat 
intense,  yet  it  was  listened  to  with  undiminished 
attention  till  the  close.  The  services  closed  with 
Whittier's  Centennial  Hymn,  and  the  Doxology, 

"  Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings  flow." 

The  sermon  was  by  the  pastor.  Rev.  B.  S.  Ever- 
itt,  from   Psalm  xliv.  7  : — "  But  thou  hast  saved  us 

(29) 


30 

from  our  enemies,  and   hast  put  them  to   shame 
that  hated  us." 

The  history  of  this  land  for  one  hundred  years 
cannot,  even  in  epitome,  be  given  in  the  space 
allotted  to  this  discourse.  From  the  many  phases 
of  that  history,  we  therefore  select  the  one  ex- 
pressed by  our  text — 

Deliverance  from  our  Enemies. 

We  classify  those  enemies  as — 

1.  Those  who  at  beginning  of  century  threatened 
oppression  and  led  to  revolution. 

2.  Those  who  at  beginning  of  this  century 
threatened  invasion  and  led  to  war  of  1812. 

3.  Those  who  at  middle  of  this  century  threat- 
ened disunion  and  led  to  war  of  rebellion. 

4.  Those  who  now  threaten  corruption,  luxury, 
and  neglect,  and  should  lead  to  a  war  for  purity, 
economy,  and  fidelity.  This  last  is  not  a  war  of 
swords  and  guns, — not  of  martial  pomp  and  tocsin 
loud, — but  of  right  against  wrong,  of  fidelity  against 
neglect,   and   of  purity  against   corruption. 

The  first  three  having  passed  we  can  study  them 
in  the  light  of  history,  and  the  last  we  will  chronicle 
in  the  light  of  passing  events.  While  the  century 
began  with  a  revolution,  it  ends  with  a  no  less 
important  struggle. 

In  1764  (more  than  a  century  ago)  England  was 
living  too  high  ;  her  successes  had  made  her  proud, 


31 

and  she  vauntingly  boasted  of  her  subject-colonies, 
the  "  very  chimney-sweeps  in  her  streets  laying 
claim  to  tlicir  American  subjects."  Such  fulsome 
display  of  luxury  and  arrogance  was  expensive,  as 
the  year  closed  with  a  deficiency  of  ^3,000,000. 
Why  should  this  be,  said  her  statesmen  ?  Our 
American  colonies  can  and  of  right  should  pay 
this.  Thereupon  Parliament  passed  a  series  of 
resolutions,  without  even  a  voice  or  vote  against 
them,  asserting  the  right  and  expediency  of  requir- 
ing America  to  contribute  to  the  general  exigen- 
cies of  the  empire,  and  specifying  a  stamp  duty 
as  an  eligible  mode.  The  colonial  assemblies 
claimed  the  sole  right  of  imposing  taxes  on  their 
fellow-citizens,  and  in  strongest  and  most  hostile 
manner  opposed  the  resolutions,  and  sent  commis- 
sioners to  protest  against  them — Benjamin  Franklin 
going  to  London  as  representative  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. When  a  few  months  later  the  Stamp  Act 
was  passed,  two  were  found  bold  enough  in  Parlia- 
ment to  deny  the  right  to  tax  America,  and  a  few 
others  thought  it  inexpedient. 

When  news  of  the  passage  of  the  act  reached 
America  the  public  feeling  found  its  indignant  ex- 
pression in  the  voice  of  many  patriots,  notably 
Patrick  Henry,  who  roused  first  Virginia,  and  then 
all  the  colonies,  by  his  eloquent  appeals,  denying  in 
most  unqualified  terms  the  right  of  taxation  by  the 
Parliament.  Massachusetts  circulated  a  petition 
calling  a  general  congress  in  1766.  Nine  colonies 
responded,  and  sent  their  views  to  Parliament. 
They  did  not  object  to  taxation  by  themselves,  or 


32 

to  supporting  the  home  government  by  the  mo- 
nopoly of  commerce  then  estabHshed ;  but  strenu- 
ously, boldly,  they  denied  the  right  of  taxation 
without  representation.  It  was  then  America  found 
a  defender  in  the  eloquent  William  Pitt,  who, 
in  his  place  in  Parliament,  said,  "  I  rejoice  that 
America  has  resisted.  Three  millions  of  people 
so  dead  to  all  the  feelings  of  liberty  as  voluntarily 
to  become  slaves  would  have  been  fit  instruments 
to  make  slaves  of  the  rest.  In  a  good  cause,  on  a 
sound  bottom,  the  force  of  this  country  could  crush 
America  to  atoms.  But  on  this  ground  your  suc- 
cess would  be  hazardous.  America,  if  she  fell, 
would  fall  like  the  strong  man.  She  would  em- 
brace the  pillars  of  the  state  and  pull  down  the 
constitution  along  with  her."  The  Stamp  Act  was 
repealed,  and  America  had  for  the  time  conquered. 
Then  came  a  clause  to  the  Military  Act,  demanding 
not  only  that  the  colonies  should  shelter  the  troops 
of  the  home  government,  but  should  give  them 
beer,  salt,  and  vinegar.  This  was  resisted,  not 
because  the  amount  was  great,  but  because  of  the 
principle.  Then  came,  in  1767,  the  bill  imposing 
duty  on  tea,  glass,  paper,  and  painters'  colors. 
This  raised  such  opposition  that  all  was  repealed, 
except  that  on  tea.  But  the  enmity  had  begun. 
Troops  were  needed  in  America  to  back  up  and 
enforce  the  regulations  of  the  governors  sent  over 
by  the  British  Government.  They  were  regarded 
with  constant  jealousy,  and  occasionally  with  direct 
opposition.  When  the  East  India  Tea  Company 
found  a  great  surplus  of  its  stores  that  it  could  not 


33 

sell  in  other  markets,  Parliament  allowed  it  to  be 
sent  to  America,  free  of  duty  at  the  British  ports, 
but  the  duty  must  be  paid  in  America.  You  know 
the  result.  The  cargo  that  came  to  Boston  was 
steeped  in  the  waves.  Cargoes  at  other  ports 
were  not  allowed  to  be  unladen,  and  only  in  one 
case,  and  then  it  was  stored  in  a  damp  cellar  till 
useless.  Massachusetts  soon  got  the  other  colo- 
nies to  act  with  her,  and  called  a  general  congress 
in  1775,  which  met  in  Philadelphia  September  ist, 
twelve  of  the  colonies  being  represented.  (Georgia 
did  not  join  them  till  the  next  year.)  Ere  this  the 
people  of  Boston  and  surrounding  towns  had  passed 
the  Suffolk  Resolutions,  embodying  many  of  the 
sentiments  of  the  later  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence. The  Congress  unanimously  approved  this 
saying  to  the  British  Government:  "If  neither  the 
voice  of  justice,  the  dictates  of  the  law,  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Constitution,  nor  the  suggestions  of 
humanity,  will  restrain  your  hands  from  shedding 
human  blood  in  such  an  impious  cause,  we  must 
tell  you,  that  we  will  never  submit  to  be  hewers  of 
wood  and  drawers  of  water  for  any  ministry  or 
nation  in  the  world."  They  sent  an  appeal  to 
Canada  to  join  them,  and  another  personally  to  the 
king,  and  one  to  each  of  the  colonies.  New  York 
was  alone  backward  in  her  zeal.  April  19th,  1775, 
the  battle  of  Lexington  was  fought.  This  was 
enough.  The  appeal  to  arms  was  made,  and  the 
"struggle  about  to  ensue  was  one  of  the  most 
momentous  recorded  in  the  annals  of  the  human 
race,  not  on  account  of  the  number  of  combatants 


34 

engaged,  for  neither  party  had  at  any  one  time 
above  thirty  or  forty  thousand  men  in  the  field,  and 
often  not  half  that  number ;  but  because  of  the 
principles  involved  in  it,  and  the  consequences 
which  it  produced."  Oh,  how  unequal  seemed  the 
parties!  Great  Britain — the  most  formidable  state 
in  the  world.  She  had  just  humbled  her  great 
rival  France,  and  over  all  the  oceans  victory  perched 
upon  her  standards.  Controlling  the  commerce  of 
the  world,  her  flag  waved  at  every  port,  and  her 
great  merchants  held  high  place  in  every  mart. 
But  America  !  An  infant  yet — scarcely  born — 
with  only  between  two  and  three  millions  of  people. 
These  were  scattered  from  Florida  in  the  south  to 
the  Bay  of  Fundy  on  the  north,  and  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  AUeghanics  These  scattered  colo- 
nies had  hitherto  very  little  intercourse  ;  of  differ- 
ent climate  and  pursuits  ;  with  no  acknowledged 
leaders  ;  with  no  common  bond,  except  hatred  of 
oppression;  with  no  armies;  with  no  wealth;  they 
dared  the  contest,  not  because  it  looked  to  human 
ken  plausible,  but  because  it  was  right,  and  they  had 
full  confidence  in  the  God  of  righteousness.  With 
this  confidence  they  took  prompt  measures  of  de- 
fense. The  sounding  guns  of  Lexington  and  Con- 
cord was  the  rallying  cry,  and  from  plow  and  shop 
and  store  and  home  came  the  men — expert  hunters, 
bearing  their  tried  muskets  on  their  shoulders  and 
God-trusting  courage  in  their  hearts.  They  had 
many  of  them  descended  from  those  who  had  left 
their  country  for  religious  liberty,  and  liberty  was 
inwoven  with  all  their  training,  their  constitution, 


35 

and  their  religion.  A  usurper — a  tyrant — could  not 
oppress  them  and  have  them  sit  supinely  under 
the  tramping  of  his  cruel  feet.  Plymouth  Rock  and 
the  old  Bible;  the  storm-tossed  "Mayflower"  and 
the  Indian  raids;  their  hard-earned  homes,  with  no 
enervating  luxury;  with  no  sophistical  atheism; 
with  no  glittering  parade  and  pageantry, — all  these 
went  to  make  up  the  noble,  daring,  hopeful  foes 
that  British  oppression  had  roused  to  the  battle. 
Many  of  them  God-fearing — most  of  them  God- 
trusting — men,  they  went  to  the  front,  while  women, 
children,  and  aged  sires  waited  and  worked  and 
prayed  at  home.  Whole  households  thus  bound 
together  by  the  tie  of  a  common  hatred  of  oppres- 
sion and  a  common  love  of  liberty.  It  was  not  at 
Boston  and  Massachusetts  alone  that  the  rallying 
bands  gathered  and  the  people  initiated  meas- 
ures of  defense.  All  the  colonies  came  boldly 
into  line.  Our  own  State  (New  Jersey)  seized 
twenty  thousand  pounds  sterling  to  use  in  its  own 
•defense.  The  foe  was  equally  prompt  and  began 
its  work.  Congress,  on  June  15th,  1775,  chose 
George  Washington  commander-in-chief,  and  four 
days  later  Bunker  Hill  resounded  with  the  roar  of 
battle,  and  the  brave  General  Warren  fell.  Boston 
then  felt  the  first  real  pressure  of  war  in  a  scarcity 
of  provisions.  The  Americans  dared  much,  at- 
tempting even  the  invasion  of  Canada,  and  General 
Montgomery  attacked  Quebec  and  was  killed  and 
his  army  repulsed. 

Congress  had  in  it  noble  men  that  proved  equal 
to  the  times.     On  the  6th  of  July,  1775,  they  issued 


36 

their  declaration,  closing  with  the  words,  "  We  have 
made  our  choice.  We  have  counted  the  cost  of 
the  contest,  and  found  nothing  so  dreadful  as  vol- 
untary slavery."  Then  they  sent  a  second  petition 
to  the  king,  and  an  appeal  to  all  British  subjects. 
"Amid  the  noise  of  arms  and  the  contests  of  policy 
the  ceremonials  of  religion  were  not  forgotten. 
The  20th  of  July  was  appointed  as  a  general  fast 
and  on  that  day  the  members  of  Congress,  in  a 
body,  attended  public  worship  both  forenoon  and 
afternoon.  The  day  was  observed  in  Philadelphia 
as  the  most  solemn  fast  ever  observed  there,  and 
was  punctually  kept  by  all  the  other  colonies." 

We  have  not  time  to  trace  the  contest.  Our  aim 
was  to  show  the  cause  of  the  war — oppression.  It 
could  not  be  endured.  The  very  principle  was 
contended  for,  when  the  contention  cost  far  more 
than  would  submission,  and  it  found  its  fullness  in 
the  Declaration  of  Independence,  July  4th,  1776. 
This  declaration  was  preceded  by  New  Jersey,  who, 
two  days  before,  in  her  Colonial  Assembly,  meeting 
in  Burlington,  declared  for  independence,  and  it  is 
her  centennial  to-day.  This  declaration  entirely 
altered  the  aspect  of  the  contest,  and  gave  a  clear 
and  definite  view  to  the  point  at  issue.  We  see  the 
colonists  no  longer  warring  against  the  oppression 
of  a  power  which  they  still  acknowledged,  but 
striking  for  independence. 

Peace  came  on  the  19th  of  April,  1783,  just  eight 
years  after  the  battle  of  Lexington,  and  all  along 
there  was  a  religious  fervor  in  the  leaders,  a  recog- 
nition   of    God    by    Congress,    a    deep    trust    and 


37 

prayerfulness  by  the  leaders  and  the  people.  It 
was  the  righteousness  of  their  cause  that  gave  them 
God's  favor,  and  by  this  they  secured  the  victory. 
God  was  with  them,  as  the  battle-fields  testify — 
Long  Island,  Ticonderoga,  Princeton,  Monmouth, 
Valley  Forge,  Brandywine,  Saratoga,  Savannah, 
Charleston,  Cowpens,  and  Yorktown. 

"  The  land  is  holy  where  they  fought, 
And  holy  where  they  fell ; 
For  by  their  blood  the  land  was  bought. 
The  land  they  loved  so  well." 


War  of  1812. 

What  of  that?  Again  Great  Britain,  by  her 
prowess  on  the  sea,  presumed  to  search  American 
vessels,  and,  when  opposed,  added  to  her  naval 
depredations  an  invasion  by  land.  Her  forces  sur- 
prised General  Hull  at  Detroit,  and  took  possession 
of  the  whole  Michigan  territory.  This  advantage 
was  pressed,  and  the  enemy  advanced  into  Ohio  and 
there  had  a  few  victories.  The  navy  of  the  Union, 
though  small,  was  enabled  to  harass  many  English 
vessels  on  the  ocean,  and  in  the  early  autumn  of 
1813,  while  General  Harrison  was  strengthening 
his  position  and  maintaining  his  defenses  on  the 
Ohio,  Captain  Oliver  H.  Perry  got  his  small  squad- 
ron ready  for  battle  on  Lake  Erie.  When  one 
flag-ship  was  disabled  and  almost  ready  to  go  down, 
he  passed  over  in  a  small  skiff  to  another,  and  that 
under  a  most  deadly  volley  from  the  enemy.     In  a 


38 

little  while  the  first  surrender  of  an  entire  squadron 
ever  known  in  English  naval  history  was  made  to 
the  American  Perry  and  his  gallant  crews.  Perry, 
as  he  saw  the  flag  of  the  "  Detroit  "  (the  English  flag- 
ship) lower,  wrote  on  the  back  of  an  old  letter  this 
dispatch  to  Harrison  : — "  We  have  met  the  enemy 
and  they  are  ours."  A  little  later,  he  sent  a  second 
dispatch  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  ascribing 
his  triumph  to  the  goodness  of  Him  who  is  the 
only  giver  of  victory.  This  victory  gave  Harrison 
a  chance  to  land  his  forces  in  Michigan  for  the 
recovery  of  Detroit  and  that  territory.  Battle 
succeeded  battle — Chippewa,  Lundy's  Lane,  and 
Plattsburg.  At  the  latter,  when  McDonough  had 
cleared  his  decks  for  action,  and  all  was  ready,  he 
assembled  his  officers  on  the  deck  of  his  flag-ship 
and  read  the  service  of  the  Episcopal  church,  pray- 
ing fervently,  "  Stir  up  Thy  strength,  oh  !  Lord,  and 
come  and  help  us,  for  Thou  givest  not  always  the 
battle  to  the  strong,  but  can  save  by  many  or  by 
few.  Make  it  appear  that  Thou  art 'our  Saviour 
and  mighty  Deliverer,  through  Jesus  Christ,  our 
Lord."  Among  all  the  brave  acts  of  that  battle, 
there  was  not  one  showed  more  true  courage  or 
devotion  than  that — holding  back  the  battle  to  pray 
to  God.  The  prayer  of  the  young  hero  was  an- 
swered. After  a  deadly  conflict  of  two  hours  and 
twenty  minutes,  shouts  of  joy  and  victory  rang  up 
from  all  the  heights,  announcing  the  surrender  of 
the  British  fleet. 

The    ravages    of   the    enemy   were    widespread, 
reaching  even  to  Washington,  where  General  Ross 


39 

entered,  in  1814,  and  burned  the  Capitol  and  Presi- 
dent's house,  and  very  nearly  succeeded  in  captur- 
ing the  President  and  his  cabinet.  Then  the  foe 
moved  to  Baltimore,  and  very  nearly  captured  it, 
bombarding  Fort  McHenry.  During  the  night  of 
that  bombardment,  April  r3th,  18 14,  an  American 
gentleman  (Francis  Scott  Key),  having  gone  down 
from  Baltimore,  by  flag  of  truce,  to  procure  the 
release  of  a  friend  held  a  prisoner,  at  dawn  strained 
his  eyes  to  see  if  the  flag  still  floated,  and  expressed 
the  feelings  of  his  heart,  and  that  of  thousands  of 
others,  by  that  most  beautiful  and  admired  of  our 
national  songs,  "  The  Star-Spangled  Banner."  The 
first  verses  are  specially  appropriate,  as  we  re- 
member the  scene.  At  night  the  flag  floated ;  all 
through  the  darkness  the  battle  waged,  and  as  dawn 
broke,  the  first  concern  was, 

"Oh,  say,  can  you  see,  by  the  dawn's  early  light, 

What  so  proudly  we  hailed  at  the  twilight's  last  gleaming ; 
Whose  broad  stripes  and  bright  stars,  through  the  perilous  fight, 

O'er  the  ramparts  we  watched  were  so  gallantly  streaming; 
And  the  rocket's  red  glare,  and  bombs  bursting  in  air. 
Gave  proof  through  the  night  that  our  flag  was  still  there — 
Oh,  say,  does  the  star-spangled  banner  still  wave, 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave  ? 

"On  that  shore  dimly  seen,  through  the  mists  of  the  deep, 
Where  the  foe's  haughty  host  in  dread  silence  reposes, 
What  is  that  which  the  breeze  o'er  the  towering  steep, 

As  it  fitfully  blows,  half  conceals,  half  discloses  ? 
Now  it  catches  the  gleam  of  the  morning's  first  beam. 
In  full  glory  reflected,  now  shines  on  the  stream — 
'Tis  the  star-spangled  banner  I  Oh,  long  may  it  wave, 
O'er  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave." 


40 

War  of  the  Rebellion. 

The  history  is  too  new  to  need  recital.  We  had 
fought  to  gain  independence,  and  by  God's  help  we 
had  won.  We  had  fought  to  repel  invasion,  and 
by  God's  favor  we  succeeded.  We  had,  however, 
all  along  cherished  a  viper  in  our  bosom ;  hugged, 
with  tenderness,  the  darling  sin  of  human  servitude. 
A  nation  that  had  fought  as  no  other  ever  fought 
for  their  own  liberties  were  willing  to  make  other 
people  slaves,  and  that  by  millions.  They  who 
would  own  no  other  masters  willingly  took  and 
held  the  master's  place,  and  with  tyranny  of  lash 
and  degradation  of  slavery  inflicted  on  others 
what  they  themselves  had  fought  to  escape.  No 
wonder  it  could  not  be  endured.  Advancing  intel- 
ligence, growing  Christianity,  outspreading  liberty, 
forbade  it.  Deeply  inwoven  in  the  profits  and 
customs  and  even  the  consciences  of  a  large  section, 
it  could  not  be  given  up  but  with  blood.  Yea,  it 
was  not  willing  to  be  confined  where  it  was.  More 
territory  for  slavery,  more  bondsmen,  more  sin,  was 
the  cry,  till  aroused  humanity  and  quickened  liberty 
cried  out,  "  No  further."  It  would  not  brook  the 
cry.  Blocking  the  advance  of  slavery  led  to  the 
war.  God  thus  laid  on  us  the  choice — more  slav- 
ery or  dismemberment.  We  could  not  have  either. 
The  last,  disunion  for  the  sake  of  slavery !  Keep  a 
black  stain  on  our  escutcheon  to  please  a  section, 
or  else  let  that  section  go  to  conserve  the  stain ! 
Neither  was  possible  if  we  would  be  true  to  our 
declaration,  our  humanity,  our  country,  or  our  God. 


41 

So  we  fought.  Brother  against  brother,  of  the 
same  nation,  of  the  same  family,  because  we  could 
not  agree  to  part  with  the  serpent  of  the  household. 
The  mighty  stream  of  blood  that  the  war  caused 
floated  it  away,  and  though  the  result  came  with 
crash  of  war  and  desolated  homes  and  thousands 
of  maimed  and  dying  ones,  yet  it  came  of  God,  who 
is  now  fast  healing  the  opened  wounds,  and  the 
gray  and  the  blue  meet  as  friend  and  not  as  foe. 
The  flag  has  still  all  its  stars.  Through  the  cent- 
ury our  noble  declaration  has  been  belied.  Now, 
at  its  close,  we  can  say  as  truly  as  at  the  beginning 
(and  find  our  practice  coincide  with  our  theory), 
"  All  men  are  created  equal,  and  endowed  by  their 
Creator  with  certain  inalienable  rights,  and  among 
them  are  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness." 
Ah!  it  must  have  come  to  that, 

"  For  right  is  right,  since  God  is  God, 
And  right  the  day  must  win ; 
To  doubt  would  be  disloyalty, 
To  falter  would  be  sin." 

Religion  entered  as  an  element  into  the  contest. 
Scarce  a  proclamation  of  our  martyred  Lincoln  but 
was  permeated  with  it,  and  there  was  much  looking 
to  God,  not  on  the  great  fast  days  alone,  but  always. 
It  led  us  to  God,  till  wisely  the  very  mint,  as  it 
stamped  our  coin,  left  no  longer  the  eagle,  figure  of 
America's  pride,  but  the  motto,  that  so  beautifully 
stands  before  us,  "  In  God  we  trust,"  emblem  of 
America's  confidence. 


42 
The  Present  Contest. 

This  last  contest  of  the  century — what?  A 
battle  against  corruption,  luxury,  and  neglect. 
Corruption  in  high  places.  The  air  breathes  the 
tidings  of  it  on  every  breeze,  telling  of  men  in 
places  of  power  serving  self  Officers  in  municipal, 
state,  and  national  governments  forgetting  the 
second  commandment,  violating  the  eighth,  and  to 
escape  punishment  trampling  on  the  ninth,  are  in 
very  poor  condition  to  pay  much  regard  to  the 
others.  Not  but  men  accepting  the  responsibilities 
of  place  and  power  should  be  well  paid.  But,  alas, 
when  such  responsibilities  are  accepted,  with  all 
their  tremendous  weight,  simply  for  money-getting, 
then,  then,  let  all  men  cry  shame  !  Yet,  it  is  only 
ruler  as  people.  The  very  policy  and  peculation 
which  the  people  condemn  (as  they  ought  to)  in 
their  rulers  has  too  many  illustrations  among 
themselves.  I  have  yet  to  get  the  evidence  that  there 
is  a  greater  proportion  of  dishonest  money-getting 
among  office-holders  than  among  the  rest  of  the 
nation.  It  borders  very  much  on  the  ludicrous  to 
hear  a  very  loud  outcry  against  official  corruption 
from  men  whose  hands  are  elbow  deep  in  other 
people's  pockets ;  whose  consciences  are  shriveled 
to  the  dryness  of  chaff  or  the  hardness  of  stone — 
seared  into  absolute  unfeelingness.  Beloved  hear- 
ers, it  is  a  dreadful  unholy  thing  to  have  thieves, 
rascals,  extortioners,  in  public  office,  but  those  sins 
are  no  less  when  committed  by  those  who  put  them 
in  office.     A  man  stands  with  holy  indignation,  his 


43 

face  ever  so  long,  his  words  ever  so  violent  against 
the  officers  who  betray  public  trusts,  but  that  same 
man  will,  next  November  (as  he  did  last,  and  has 
often  done),  curry  and  coax  and  fawn  all  day  around 
a  candidate  or  his  representative,  waiting  even  till 
the  day  wanes  ;  till  his  itching  palms  are  soothed  ; 
or  till  he  is  sure,  as  soon  as  the  day's  sun  is  set  (of 
course  it  could  not  be  before  then),  his  love  of  grog 
shall  be  satisfied.     Sell  their  votes  for  rum  or  money 
or  some  personal  favor,  and  then  prate  about  reform, 
and  cry  lustily  against  official  corruption.     Purge 
the  offices  ?    Yes,  for  God's  sake,  for  country,  for  de- 
cency, for  humanity's  sake,  purge  the  offices,  but 
purge  the  polls  as  well,  and  you  will  never  purge 
the  former  very  far  till  you  purge  the  latter.     The 
heartless,  selfish  corruption  of  the  polls  points  to  as 
mean  a  servitude  as  ever  shackled  a  southern  slave 
or  dungeoned  a  martyr  criminal.     Why  there  are 
places  (not  here,  I  hope)  where,  if,  on  election  day, 
a  corrupt  office-holder  was  placed,  and  it  should  be 
said,  as  it  once  was  of  another  guilty  one,  "  Let  he 
that    is    without   sin    cast   the    first    stone,"    if   all 
were  true  he  would  suffer  little  harm.     This  is  not 
alone  a  war  against  corruption  in  high  places,  but 
a  battle   for   right    at    home,    for  pure    voting,  to 
have  pure  officers,  and  the  public  can  make  it  so. 
It   has   already  done   much   by  its  voice.     It   can 
make  it  absolute  if  it  will.     Indeed,  the  public  has 
become  too  far  hardened    to  care  for  cheating  in 
voting.     Indeed,   men,   otherwise    good,    think    it 
rather  smart.     Fellow-citizens  and  beloved  hearers 
all,   condemn    openly,    even     ostracize ;    let    your 


44 

burning  indignation  shame  the  man  that  is  a  cheat, 
a  thief,  dishonest  at  the  polls.  Why,  there  are  elec- 
tion practices  that  should  make  the  cheeks  of  an 
American  citizen  blush  with  a  deeper  tinge  than 
this  July  sun  can  possibly  burn.  I  worry  over  this. 
I  am  far  more  afraid  of  it  than  I  am  of  foul  men  in 
office.  They  can  be  put  out,  but  if  this  election 
corruption  is  to  continue,  the  chances  are  that 
others  like  them  will  be  sent  to  fill  their  places. 
It  is  not  impossible  to  know  honest  men.  Men  of 
business  know  them.  It  is  not  impossible  to  detect 
dishonest  practices  ;  yea,  they  are  very  generally 
known.  Patriots,  truth  demands  you  purge  the 
country  of  this  corruption. 

But  a  second  foe  in  the  present  contest  is  luxury 
— an  extravagant  love  of  show.  More  money  spent 
for  luxuries  than  for  necessities  by  many.  Habits 
formed  in  the  young  which  cannot  meet  poverty^ 
and  so  fictitious  and  dishonest  methods  of  main- 
taining them  are  adopted.  Its  insatiate  maw  cries 
ever  for  more  money;  not  that  in  any  sense  it  may 
spend  it  for  others'  good,  but  waste  it  in  an  extrava- 
gant style  of  living.  Where  the  honest  income  is 
abundant,  no  one  may  question  as  to  the  methods 
of  spending  it,  providing  it  does  no  harm  and  is  not 
all  for  self  But  where  the  habits  and  claims  are 
such  as  to  demand  abundant  income,  even  though 
not  honest,  then  we  are  constrained  to  question,  for 
no  one  has  a  right  to  spend  more  than  his  income, 
unless  under  the  constraint  of  absolute  necessity. 
Every  dollar  spent  beyond  this  is  a  questionable,  if 
not  a  dishonest,  expenditure.     This  spending  of  less 


45 

money  is  one  of  the  highest  of  practical  questions. 
It  often  calls  for  more  will  power,  more  courage, 
more  persevering  study,  than  to  face  the  bayonet 
or  the  shock  of  war's  fierce  battle.  But  no  law  is 
so  imperious  as  that  of  necessity,  and  the  violations 
of  no  law  are  more  certain  of  their  penalty.  Let 
the  law  be  obeyed,  and  if,  in  doing  this,  a  plainer 
attire,  a  less  costly  mode  of  life  is  needed,  ven- 
ture on  it  boldly,  bravely.  It  is  only  heartless 
cruelty  and  ill-mannered  godlessness  that  will  laugh 
or  sneer  at  your  effort,  and  surely  these  are  not  to 
be  minded.  Depend  on  it,  the  battle  for  economy 
must  be  not  only  against  corruption,  but  also 
against  luxury  and  extravagance. 

But  the  third  enemy  in  the  battle  that  closes  the 
century  is  indifferenxe — neglect.  As  patriots,  we 
have  given  a  kind  of  false  credit  to  our  institutions. 
We  have  said  our  country  is  great  and  good.  True. 
We  have  said  our  Government  is  wise  and  strong. 
True.  All  our  institutions  are  excellent.  True. 
But  the  mistake  has  been  in  supposing  these  insti- 
tutions could  run  themselves  ;  that  they  called  from 
us  for  no  effort  or  money  or  time  or  study.  Our 
Government  may  be  the  ship  of  state,  but  what 
human  agency  makes  for  the  ship  a  successful 
voyage  ?  The  passengers  who  came  from  other 
countries  to  ride  with  us  for  a  time  ?  No ;  the 
sailors  and  the  officers.  Such  are  the  citizens  to- 
day,— some  commanders,  the  rest  sailors,  and  he 
who  mans  the  halyards  has  as  real  a  part  as  he 
who  holds  the  helm.  Our  business  is  to  study,  to 
think,  to  know  our  every  duty  as  citizens.    How  to 


46 

vote,  how  to  live,  how  to  act  for  the  country's  best 
good.  We  should  give  so  much  study  as  shall  en- 
able us,  personally,  to  know  what  is  right  and  honest 
government,  in  party,  in  principles,  and  in  men. 
Yes;  principles  and  men.  I  don't  much  believe  in 
the  somewhat  popular  cry,  "  Principles,  not  men;" 
or  its  opposite,  "Men  and  not  principles;"  but  I  do 
feel,  if  I  must  choose  between  two  evils,  that  a 
good  man  on  a  bad  platform  is  much  safer  than  a 
bad  man  on  a  platform  ever  so  good.  Put  your 
principles  in  your  men,  and  you  have  the  only  safe, 
true  plan.  As  we  should  give  study,  so  we  should 
give  time  for  our  country.  She  is  worth  our  ser- 
vice. What  would  we  be  without  her?  How  did 
our  forefathers,  a  century  ago,  leave  plow  and 
shop  and  counter  for  that  country?  And  shame 
on  us  if  we  will  not  leave  the  same  to  keep  alive 
the  flame  of  patriotism  and  do  honor  to  their 
memory.  Must  there  be  no  natal  day  held  sacred 
for  our  land  ?  No  display  of  loyalty  ?  No  words 
of  patriotism  ?  No  stopping  of  the  wheels  of  toil 
to  give  expression  to  our  centennial  joy?  Is  it 
nothing  that  we  were  spared  a  century,  with  such 
prosperity?  And  having  the  special  proclamation 
of  the  President  to  urge  us,  shall  we  not  properly, 
generally  keep  the  day  ?  So  keep  it  that  when  our 
children  ask,  "  What  mean  ye  by  this  service  ?"  we 
can  answer,  we  mean  devotion  to  our  land ;  we 
mean  the  cultivation  of  liberty ;  we  mean  the  trans- 
mission of  patriotism  to  you  and  yours. 

But  the  time  is  up,  and  I  must  close.     Brethren, 
fellow-citizens  of  this  beloved  country,  which  side 


47 

will  you  each  take  in  the  pending  struggle  ?  For 
honesty  against  corruption ;  for  economy  against 
extravagance ;  for  fidelity  against  neglect ;  or  will 
you  join  the  opposite?  You  ought  to  be — I  trust 
you  are — patriots.  Carry  your  patriotism  into  your 
business,  into  your  politics,  and,  if  you  believe  in 
a  God,  carry  it  into  your  religion.  Read  your 
Bible  and  pray  and  then  go  up  and  vote.  Read 
your  Bible  and  pray  and  then  go  out  and  do  for 
your  country.  Read  your  Bible  and  pray  and  then 
go  to  your  business,  and  if  you  will  not  do  that, 
then  stop  your  praying  for  these.  Praying  without 
works  is  unacceptable  sacrifice. 


FOURTH  OF  JULY. 


ON  Sabbath  morning-,  May  28th,  1876,  the  Rev. 
B.  S.  Everitt,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  of  Jamesburg,  N.  J.,  requested  all  who  were 
desirous  of  a  suitable  celebration  of  the  Centennial 
Anniversary  of  the  Nation  to  meet  in  the  lecture- 
room  to-morrow  (Monday)  evening,  May  29th,  to 
consider  the  same.  In  response,  some  thirty  citizens 
gathered  and  appointed  the  following  Committee 
of  Arrangements  : — I.  S.  Buckelew,  J.  C.  Magee, 
T.  W.  Hill,  James  L.  Ferris,  George  S.  Courter, 
Peter  V.  Davison,  and  Rev.  B.  S.  Everitt.  The 
committee  organized  by  appointing  Rev.  B.  S, 
Everitt,  chairman  ;  George  S.  Courter,  secretary, 
and  T.  VV.  Hill,  treasurer.  They  also  appointed 
Mrs.  M.  C.  Buckelew  and  Mrs.  N.  B.  Smock  a  com- 
mittee to  secure  a  large  flag,  and  Mrs.  I.  S.  Bucke- 
lew, Mrs.  B.  S.  Everitt,  and  Mrs.  George  H.  Smock 
to  secure  and  prepare  thirty-eight  young  ladies  to 
represent  the  States  and  to  sing  some  National  airs; 
also,  other  sub-committees  of  their  own  number. 

The  committee  having  completed  their  arrange- 
ments, Tuesday,  July  4th,  1876,  was  ushered  in  by 
(48) 


49 

salutes  from  a  cannon  cast  for  the  purpose,  and 
procured  by  J.  D.  Courter,  J.  F.  Forman  Smock,  and 
Alfred  McNamee.  At  sunrise  the  bells  rang  ;  at 
nine  o'clock  the  procession  formed,  under  direction 
of  Major  F.  L.  Buckelew,  marshal,  and  George  H. 
Townsend,  aid,  the  Freehold  Cornet  Band  leading, 
and  following  in  order — carriage  with  orator,  histo- 
rian, reader,  and  chairman  of  committee ;  a  large 
wagon,  with  thirty-eight  young  ladies  dressed  in 
white,  with  red,  white,  and  blue  sashes,  and  each 
bearing  a  flag  with  the  name  of  a  State  thereon, 
while  Jamie  Buckelew  bore  the  flag  inscribed, 
"Our  Whole  Country."  Then  followed  Fidelity 
Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  with  visiting  lodges  from 
Hightstown  and  Amboy,  and  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  from  Englishtown;  then  the  boys  and  offi- 
cers of  the  State  Reform  School,  led  by  their 
superintendent,  James  H.  Eastman ;  then  citizens 
in  carriages  and  on  foot,  while  the  rear  was  brought 
up  by  a  cavalcade  of  about  thirty-eight  horsemen, 
under  command  of  Captain  V.  W.  Mount.  He  was 
dressed  in  elegant  Continental  costume,  and  the 
company  in  tasty  and  showy  suits  of  red,  white,  and 
blue.  The  procession  having  proceeded  through 
the  principal  streets,  halted  in  front  of  the  church 
and  school-house,  forming  a  hollow  square  around 
a  flag-pole  that  had  been  raised  in  the  middle  of 
the  street.  The  Rev.  B.  S.  Everitt  invoked  the 
Divine  blessing,  when  John  D.  Buckelew,  with  a 
few  appropriate  remarks,  raised  a  beautiful  flag, 
the  same  being  the  handiwork  of  the  committee 
of  ladies.      As   the   flag   ascended   it  was   saluted 


50 

with  cannon  and  cheers  and  music  by  the  band. 
When  this  ceased,  "The  Star-Spangled  Banner" 
was  sung  by  the  young  ladies.  Rev.  B.  S.  Everitt 
spoke  briefly  of  "  Our  Flag,"  and  the  significance 
of  the  colors — red,  meaning  courage;  white,  purity- 
and  blue,  truth  ;  while  the  stars  of  purity  rested 
on  the  field  of  truth,  each  stripe  told  of  an  original 
State,  and  each  star  of  a  present  State.  After 
this,  the  Reform  School  boys  sang  "  The  Flag  of 
Our  Country,"  the  band  played,  the  cannon  roared, 
the  company  cheered,  and  the  magnificent  emblem 
floated  gracefully  in  the  morning  breeze. 

The  procesion  reformed  and  proceeded  to  Wig- 
wam Grove,  where,  after  a  little  rest,  the  following 
exercises  were  held  : — 

Music  by  the  band. 

Singing,  "  The  Flag  of  Our  Union,"  by  the 
young"  ladies. 

Prayer  by  Rev.  B.  S.  Everitt. 

Singing,  "The  Flag  of  Our  Country,"  by  Reform 
School. 

Reading  of  "  Declaration  of  Independence  "  by 
Mr.  Marcellus  Oakey,  principal  of  Jamesburg 
Institute. 

Music  by  the  band. 

An  oration  of  great  beauty,  replete  with  sound 
sense  and  good  advice,  by  Judge  William  T.  Hoff- 
man, of  Jersey  City. 

Singing  of  "America"  by  young  ladies. 

Music  by  the  band. 

Recess. 


51 

At  three  o'clock,  P.  M.,  the  bell  rang,  the  band 
played,  and  the  people  gathered  around  the  stand; 
the  young  ladies  sang  "  Hail  Columbia,"  and,  in 
accordance  with  the  recommendation  of  U.  S. 
Grant,  President  of  the  United  States,  that  the  local 
history  of  the  place  should  be  given,  the  historian, 
T.  Wilton  Hill,  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Jamesburg,  read  the  historical  address.  The 
band  played  "  Keller's  American  Hymn,"  and,  in 
response  to  a  call  from  the  audience,  John  D. 
Buckelew,  United  States  consul  at  Stettin,  Ger- 
many, and  for  his  life -time  identified  with  the  inter- 
ests of  this  place,  came  forward  and  made  an 
interesting  address,  assuring  the  company,  how- 
ever far  or  however  long  he  may  be  away,  he  will 
never  fail  to  love  his  country,  and  on  every  return 
to  express  that  love.  The  audience  expressed  their 
gratitude  to  the  young  ladies  of  the  committee 
who  so  successfully  managed  their  very  interesting 
part  of  the  ceremonies,  and  to  Captain  Mount  and 
his  cavalcade.  Votes  of  thanks  were  then  given 
to  the  orator,  the  reader  of  the  "  Declaration,"  the 
historian,  and  the  chairman  of  the  committee- 
The  chairman  then  presented  a  beautiful  basket 
of  flowers,  on  behalf  of  the  ladies,  to  Judge  Hoff- 
man; which  was  received  with  words  of  thankful 
acknowledgment.  The  day  closed  with  a  display 
of  fire-works,  which  was  witnessed  by  hundreds  of 
people,  and  no  serious  accident  occurred  to  mar 
the  pleasures  of  the  day. 

The  citizens  generously  displayed  flags  and 
bunting,    while    several    houses    were    beautifully 


decorated.  The  engines  coming  in  with  their  trains 
were  tastefully  adorned.  Never  was  the  day  so 
generally  observed,  and  the  generous  display,  the 
liberal,  hearty  enthusiasm  with  which  the  com- 
munity entered  into  it,  was  worthy  of  all  praise. 


HIclX^  OF 


Scale  6Jo  /i.  to  /  inch       "^  ^^   9 


TjxOi     Inverts  &Steti'<irt   '/I G  .FilteTt  St ThUcL 


HISTORICAL  ADDRESS. 


Delivered  at  Wigwam  Grove,  Jame;sburg,  New  Jersey, 

July  4th,  1876,  by  T.  Wilton  Hill,  Cashier 

First  National  Bank    Jamesburg, 

New  Jersey. 


MR.  Chairman  and  Fellow-citizens:  —  In 
response  fo  your  request,  I  present  for  your 
consideration  such  items  of  local  interest  as  I  have 
been  enabled  to  gather  in  the  time  allotted  me, 
reminding  you  that  care,  research,  and  comparison 
of  notes,  involving  much  time,  is  essential  to  an 
accurate  historical  sketch.  It  is  well  that  this  Cen- 
tennial year  brings  the  consideration  of  so  useful 
and  interesting  a  subject  to  our  minds,  causing  us 
to  search  for  and  bring  to  light  traces  and  evidences 
of  our  mighty  achievements  and  material  progress, 
as  well  as  relics  and  traditions  that  otherwise  would 
soon  be  gone  forever.  The  landmarks  of  the  cen- 
tury previous  to  the  one  that  has  just  closed — how 
few  they  are  ! — how  age  crumbles  them,  or  improve- 
ments and  progress  ruthlessly  destroy  !  If,  in  our 
Centennial  Jubilee,  we  make  a  full  and  truthful 
(53) 


54 

memorial  of  the  past,  and  inspire  our  children  to 
record,  from  time  to  time,  more  faithfully  than  we 
have  done,  then  will  the  historian  of  the  next  cen- 
tury have  an  easier  task  and  more  satisfactory  data 
to  work  from.  As  Jerseymen,  rejoicing  in  our 
State,  we  point  with  pride  to  the  noble  position  she 
has  maintained;  her  loyalty  and  patriotism,  ever 
true;  her  responses,  prompt  and  decisive.  One  of 
the  original  of  the  thirteen  States,  the  third  to 
approve  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  which 
she  did  July  17th,  1776,  having,  in  fact,  anticipated 
the  Continental  Congress  some  two  days.  Her 
Provincial  Congress  assembled  at  Burlington,  June 
lOth,  1776.  Action  was  taken  preparatory  to  a 
declaration  of  independence.  Appointment  of  a 
committee  to  draft  a  constitution,  whose  report  was 
adopted  July  2d, — the  royal  governor,  Franklin, 
being  arrested  and  imprisoned  and  sent  to  Con- 
necticut, where  he  was  held  during  the  war. 

In  colonial  days,  when  the  first  settlements  were 
made  in  this  vicinity  of  which  we  now  find  any 
mention,  New  Jersey  was  divided  into  the  prov- 
inces of  East  and  West  Jersey,  and  the  Duke  of 
York,  under  date  of  March  14th,  1682,  had  con- 
firmed the  sale  of  the  province  of  East  Jersey  to 
the  twenty-four  proprietors,  including  James,  the 
Earl  of  Perth,  from  whence  Perth  Amboy  derived 
her  name;  and  Robert  Barclay,  from  whom  the 
title  to  a  part  of  Edmund  Rue's  farm  was  acquired, 
with  only  three  intermediate  changes.  The  repre- 
sentatives of  the  proprietors  appear  to  have  been 
very  active  in  disseminating  favorable  accounts  of 


55 

East  Jersey,  and  the  first  settlers  were  very  enthu- 
siastic in  the  descriptions  of  their  new  homes  and 
prospects.  Further  inducements  were  made  by  the 
proprietors  in  1684  granting  fifty  acres  to  each 
head  of  a  family  settling  in  the  province,  and 
twenty-five  acres  for  each  of  the  other  members  of 
his  household — old  or  young.  Under  this  pro- 
I'ision,  James  Johnstone  came  from  Edinburgh  in 
December,  1685,  and  settled  on  the  banks  of  the 
Manalapan,  between  here  and  Spotswood.  He  soon 
purchased  additional  land,  extending  towards  the 
Machaponix,  and  no  doubt  was  the  first  person  to 
reclaim  land  that  can  be  included  in  our  bounds. 
At  a  little  later  period,  William  Davison,  also  from 
Scotland,  settled  on  a  tract  of  land,  commencing 
at  a  point  about  two  hundred  feet  this  side  of  the 
residence  of  Isaac  S.  Buckelew,  extending  beyond 
Daniel  R.  Schenck's,  and  including  most  of  the 
land  now  spoken  of  as  the  Davison  district.  His 
numerous  descendants  have  done  much  towards 
redeeming  the  land  and  advancing  the  agricultural 
interests  of  our  neighborhood.  His  grandson,  Paul 
Davison,  deceased  only  a  year  or  two  since,  was 
known  to  most  of  us,  and  the  widow  of  his  grand- 
son, William  Davision,  the  venerable  Sarah  Davison, 
:Still  lives  in  our  midst.  The  letters  written  by  the 
first  settlers  to  their  friends  at  home,  describing  the 
-country  and  offering  inducements  for  their  friends 
to  follow,  are  worthy  of  notice.  I  will  quote  in 
illustration  some  that  I  find  published. 

"  Wolves  are  so  far  from  troubling  men,  that  if  a 
man  should  lay  a  glove  upon  a  carcass  or  their 


56 

prey,  they  will  yell,  but  not  come  nigh  it.  You 
cannot  come  nigh  a  rattlesnake  but  they  will  rattle 
with  their  tail,  whereby  a  man  is  advertised  either 
to  kill  them  or  go  by  them.  They  frequently 
charm  the  squirrels  or  other  little  beasts  off  the 
tops  of  the  trees  into  their  mouth,  and  that  without 
touching  them  with  their  teeth,  which  if  they  did 
they  would  poison  themselves.  The  flea,  that  is 
troublesome  on  the  low  and  marshy  grounds,  is  not 
found  on  the  uplands.  I  am  mightily  well  pleased 
with  my  coming  over ;  neither  do  I  think  I  could 
live  again  in  Scotland.  It  is  a  place  that  produces 
many  fine  fruits  and  physic  herbs.  The  woods  are 
stored  with  wild  deers,  conies,  wolves,  bears,  rac- 
coons, some  beavers,  and  several  other  beasts 
which  have  fine  furs,  and  fish  and  water-fowl  for 
the  killing.  The  timber  are  mostly  oak  of  all  sorts, 
walnut  and  chestnut.  Strawberries  grow  very  thick 
upon  the  ground  amongst  the  trees,  so  that  some 
places  in  the  woods  are  in  summer,  as  it  were^ 
covered  with  a  red  cloth.  The  land  is  exceeding 
good  which  is  yet  to  take  up,  much  better  than 
what  is  inhabited.  There  is  very  much  'syder' 
here,  which  is  our  principal  drink.  The  Indian 
natives  are  not  troublesome  any  way  if  we  do  them 
no  harm,  but  are  a  kind  and  loving  people.  The 
men  do  nothing  but  hunt,  and  the  women  they 
plant  corn  and  work  at  home.  They  come  and 
trade  among  the  Christians,  with  skins  or  venison^ 
and  in  the  summer  time  they  and  their  wives  come 
down  the  rivers  in  their  canoes,  which  they  make 
themselves,  of  a  piece  of  a  great  tree,  like  a  little 


57 

boat,  and  there  they  fish  and  take  oysters.  What 
I  most  earnestly  desire  of  you  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  this  plantation  is  that  you  would  be 
instrumental  to  send  us  over  some  ministers,  who, 
I  dare  engage,  shall  ever  afterwards  be  thankful." 

Among  the  articles  named  that  the  people  along 
the  coast  at  Amboy  dealt  in,  is  included  the  flesh 
of  the  whale,  salted.  I  find  but  little  of  interest  in 
connection  with  the  development  of  the  tracts 
mentioned,  up  to  the  commencement  of  this  cen- 
tury. The  old  building  still  standing  on  the  State 
Reform  School  farm  alone  remains  to  remind  us  of 
the  seventeenth  century,  and  of  tJiat  we  have  no 
knowledge.  Tradition  alone  tells  us  that  it  was 
used  as  a  prison-house  during  the  French  war. 
Some  old  grave-stones  are  found  in  the  graveyard 
attached  to  it,  bearing  date  previous  to  that  term.  . 
On  the  mill-stream,  a  little  this  side  of  Outcault's 
mills,  there  can  still  be  found  the  remnants  of  a 
dam  that  was  used  in  connection  with  a  forge,  in 
existence  previous  to  the  Revolutionary  War.  On 
this  side  of  the  brook  the  land  was  included  in 
what  was  known  as  the  Faulkner  tract,  and  was 
inhabited  mostly  by  the  Indians  as  late  as  1758, — the 
patent  line  reaching  from  a  point  marked  by  a  very 
peculiar  stone,  still  well  preserved,  on  the  farm  of 
Edmund  Rue,  at  the  edge  of  Manalapan  brook, 
thence  along  the  farm  of  Alexander  Redmond  and 
others,  can  still  be  traced  to  the  Delaware  river. 
Here  was  the  scene  of  Brainerd's  great  work. 
Historians  have  sought  to  locate  his  settlement,  and 
have  traveled  hither  and  thither  to  find  the  spot  of 


58 

his  Bethel,  but  it  is  for  us,  in  these  woods,  rev- 
erently to  bow  as  we  realize  that  we  are  on  the  soil 
he  was  wont  to  tread;  that  over  these  hills  and 
vales  he  journeyed  on  his  mission  of  love,  fraught 
with  such  wonderful  power.  Almost  within  stone's 
throw  of  this  stand,  on  the  farm  of  Alexander  Red- 
mond and  the  adjoining  land  of  the  widow  Lane, 
was  the  Brainerd  settlement.  Many  of  the  cellars 
were  still  preserved  when  Mr.  Redmond  purchased 
the  property  in  1841,  and  he  still  has  stones  that 
were  used  as  hearths,  as  well  as  many  relics  of  the 
Indians  that  have  been  exhumed.  The  old  apple 
and  cherry  trees  of  the  settlement  were  then  quite 
numerous;  some  of  the  apple  trees,  I  believe,  still 
remain.  The  brook  from  whence  this  grove  takes 
its  name  was  called  by  them  "Wigwam  brook," 
and  has  its  source  in  springs  located  in  their  set- 
tlement. In  the  life  of  John  Brainerd,  published 
by  the  Presbyterian  Board,  the  year  1754  is  spoken 
of  as  one  of  great  despondency  for  the  missionary, 
as  "  Bethel,  to  procure  which,  as  their  permanent 
home,  David  Brainerd  had  paid  the  debts  of  the 
Indians,  amounting  to  some  ^^90,  and  aided  them 
to  clear  its  forests  with  his  own  labor,  was  now 
passing  from  their  hands  forever."  A  short  time 
after,  the  Scotch  society,  which  had  supported  him 
in  his  missionary  field,  withdrew  that  assistance, 
and  Brainerd  sought  other  service.  In  this  con- 
nection it  is  interesting  to  read  an  old  deed  in  the 
possession  of  Mr.  Alexander  Redmond,  by  which 
it  appears  that  on  the  12th  of  July,  1754  (the  year 
I  above  mentioned),  the  Rev.  John  Brainerd  con- 


59 

veyed  to  Peter  Deremer  the  land  adjacent  to  Wig- 
wam brook,  including  lands  now  owned  by  Mrs. 
James  Redmond,  Alexander  Redmond,  Edmund 
Rue,  and  the  estate  of  James  Buckelew.  The  his- 
toric character  of  this  locality  becomes  still  more 
interesting  when  we  rememember  that  Brainerd's 
helpmate  was  the  Rev.  William  Tennent,  at  that 
time  the  remarkable  as  well  as  powerful  pastor  of 
what  is  now  known  as  the  old  Tennent  Church. 
After  Brainerd  went  to  Newark,  in  1755,  the  Scotch 
society  made  an  agreement  to  give  him  ^^"25  per 
annum  for  visiting  the  congregation  once  a  week, 
catechizing  their  children,  and  sometimes  adminis- 
tering the  Communion  on  the  Lord's  day,  hoping 
thereby  to  keep  the  Indian  congregation  together. 
Thus  have  I  given  you  the  first  historic  facts 
connected  with  our  immediate  vicinity.  Nothing 
of  special  interest  is  found  worth  recording  until 
the  year  1800.  The  main  path  of  the  Indians  was 
located  thirty  miles  below  us,  running  from  the 
Shrewsbury  river,  following  the  shore  of  Raritan 
bay,  and  crossing  the  Raritan  some  three  miles 
above  the  site  of  Perth  Amboy.  In  1682,  the 
date  of  the  creation  of  Middlesex  county,  the  only 
road  of  importance  was  what  is  now  called  the  old 
road,  running  from  the  vicinity  of  Elizabethtown 
Point  to  the  present  site  of  New  Brunswick,  thence 
to  the  Delaware  river.  The  Raritan  river  was  then 
fordable  at  low  water;  Inian's  ferry,  now  New 
Brunswick,  not  being  established  until  1697.  In 
1683  the  proprietors  made  strenuous  efforts  to  open 
a  road  from  Perth  Amboy  to  Burlington,  to  draw 


6o 

off  the  travel  that  was  then  taking  the  road  just 
mentioned,  and  in  1684,  Deputy-Governor  Lawrie 
succeeded  in  opening  the  road,  which  is  still  used, 
and  connecting  it  with  a  ferry-.boat  at  Amboy. 
Notwithstanding  aid  was  sought  from  the  assembly 
to  compel  people  to  travel  this  road,  the  old  Dutch 
road  was  the  most  popular.  It  is  a  singular  fact  to 
note  that  the  trouble  of  our  section  of  country,  in 
regard  to  rapid  and  direct  communication  with 
New  York,  has  been  continued  from  that  early 
period  to  the  present,  changing  from  turnpike  to 
railroad  in  course  of  time.  Let  us  hope  that  it  will 
not  be  another  century  before  we  have  direct  rail- 
road connection  with  New  York.  In  the  eighteenth 
century  the  cry  was  "turnpike  monopoly."  In  the 
nineteenth  century  we  have  had  the  cry  of  "  rail- 
road monopoly."  In  17 16,  by  acts  of  the  assembly^ 
the  system  of  road-making  and  regulating  was 
adopted  similar  to  that  of  the  present,  and  more 
care  was  given  to  the  subject.  In  1734  the  Bor- 
dentown  and  Washington  South  River  road  was 
opened,  and  once  a  week  a  freight  wagon  was  run, 
connecting  with  boat  for  New  York.  Under  these 
circumstances,  the  settlement  of  our  section  was 
very  slow.  The  saw-mill,  grist  and  fulling  mill  had 
been  established  previous  to  the  year  1792,  and 
together  with  one  or  two  buildings  for  residences 
and  a  small  store,  constituted  what  was  then  known 
as  Ensley's  Mills.  Billy  West's  tavern  stood  on 
the  corner  of  the  Half-acre  road,  just  inside  Mr. 
J.  D.  Buckelew's  present  enclosure ;  most  of  us 
remember  that  the  last  of  it  was  taken  down  only 


6i 

three  or  four  years  since,  it  having  for  a  year  pre- 
vious been  used  as  a  canning  factory.  November 
15th,  1800,  John  Mount  bought  the  mill  property 
of  George  Rossell,  and  it  was  for  eighteen  years 
afterward  known  as  Mount's  Mills.  Mount  pros- 
pered and  added  to  his  lands  from  time  to  time, 
until  he  owned  most  of  the  land  on  the  west  side  of 
Manalapan  brook,  lying  between  the  present  lands 
of  Alexander  Redmond  and  estate  of  Abraham  S. 
Davison.  In  1818  the  mill  property  was  turned 
over  to  William  Gordon,  who  married  the  only 
child  of  John  Mount,  after  which  the  place  was 
called  Gordon's  Mills,  and  so  continued  until 
November  lOth,  1832,  when  Mr.  James  Buckelew 
purchased  Mount's  entire  interest,  from  which  date 
it  was  known  as  Buckelew's  Mills.  At  that  date 
the  property  consisted  of  the  saw-mill,  still  pre- 
served ;  the  grist-mill,  since  enlarged  and  improved ; 
the  fulling-mill  standing  at  the  easterly  end  of 
the  grist-mill,  long  since  destroyed ;  the  dwelling- 
house,  now  the  enlarged  and  remodeled  residence 
of  Mrs.  James  Buckelew;  also  the  dwelling  now 
occupied  by  Mrs.  Marsh,  then  standing  near  the 
centre  of  the  present  road,  one  end  being  used  as  a 
store,  and  the  dwelling  occupied  by  James  D. 
Browne.  On  the  west  side  of  the  brook,  opposite 
the  saw-mill,  stood  a  small  house,  now  on  the  south 
side  of  Willow  street.  The  old  Gwinnip  house 
stood  on  the  lot,  corner  of  Church  street  and  Gatz- 
mer  avenue,  near  where  the  willow  trees  still  bend^ 
and  from  where  our  cannon  this  morning  blazed 
forth  the  salute  to  our  glorious  flag.     Simon  Van 


Wickle's  old  residence,  now  the  home  of  Nelson 
B.  Smock,  stood  near  its  present  site,  while  the  old 
Peter  Deremer  house,  since  metamorphosed  into 
James  Redmond's  beautiful  residence,  told  of  a 
generation  familiar  with  Brainerd  and  his  Indian 
friends.  Opposite  was  the  farm-house  of  William 
Davison,  built  in  1807,  since  removed  by  his  son, 
the  late  Abraham  S.  Davison,  to  the  site  of  the 
present  family  homestead.  At  West's  tavern  were 
three  log-houses,  and  at  the  other  end  of  the  set- 
tlement, on  the  grounds  of  Col.  I.  S.  Buckelew's 
lawn,  was  the  dwelling  of  Daniel  Davison,  after- 
ward moved  and  changed  into  the  house  now 
occupied  by  Mrs.  Mahala  Mount.  James  Farring- 
ton  kept  the  store  for  some  time,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  James  Buckelew,  followed  by  John  A. 
Davison,  and  in  1848  by  James  Redmond.  The 
building  of  the  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad 
formed  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  this  section  of 
New  Jersey,  and  helped  to  open  the  township  for 
settlement.  James  Buckelew's  interests  were  at  an 
early  period  fully  and  largely  identified  with  that 
road,  no  doubt  anticipating  therefrom  great  advan- 
tages for  his  embryo  village.  The  Camden  and 
Amboy  Railroad  was  chartered  February  4th,  1830; 
one  million  dollars  of  stock  subscribed  by  April 
1 2th;  work  was  commenced  by  June  or  July,  and 
September  19th,  1832,  the  track  from  Bordentown 
to  Hightstown  was  first  used  with  horse-cars,  and 
on  December  17th,  1832,  passengers  were  conveyed 
from  Bordentown  to  Amboy  by  horse-cars.  The 
first  car   of  freight   over  the   road   was   drawn   by 


63 

horses  driven  by  Mr.  Benjamin  Fish,  leaving  Amboy 
January  24th,  1833.  Mr.  Fish  was  one  of  the 
original  directors  of  the  company,  and  now  resid- 
ing in  Trenton  at  a  ripe  old  age,  retains  his  interests 
in  the  road  as  well  as  his  position  in  the  board  of 
directors.  It  was  not  until  September  of  the  same 
year  that  trains  were  drawn  by  a  locomotive,  the 
"John  Bull."  The  cars  were  like  the  old-fashioned 
round-body  coaches,  doors  at  the  side,  and  calcu- 
lated to  hold  six  persons.  It  seems  strange  to 
relate  that  fatal  accidents  should  happen  to  cars 
drawn  by  horses,  yet  we  record  the  accidental  death 
of  a  passenger  by  the  upsetting  of  a  car,  near  the 
station  then  called  "West's  Turnout."  He  was  a 
stranger,  yet  the  sad  rites  of  burial  were  per- 
formed by  our  villagers,  the  funeral  services  being 
held  at  West's  tavern.  The  railroad,  as  originally 
laid  out,  followed  the  present  line  of  the  Freehold 
and  Jamesburg  Railroad,  diverging  therefrom  a 
little  this  side  of  the  present  engine-house,  crossing 
Gatzmer  avenue  on  a  curve,  passing  a  little  north 
of  L.  Cox's  residence,  and  thence  at  an  angle 
across  the  lot  of  J.  D.  Buckelew's  canning  factory, 
the  old  race-course,  and  entering  the  present  road 
near  John  Bennett's.  The  granite  stones  upon 
which  the  bed  of  the  road  was  originally  laid  are 
still  found  along  the  old  line.  The  first  station- 
house  stood  near  the  site  of  the  present  willow 
trees,  opposite  the  residence  of  Charles  Worts, 
and  was  a  one-story  building.  The  railroad  was 
straightened  in  1850,  and  the  station  built  on  its 
present  site. 


64 


The  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad  passed  under 
the  control  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Com- 
pany by  lease,  on  January  ist,  1872,  and  that  with 
all  the  company's  roads  south  of  it,  together  with 
the  branches  from  Bordentown  to  Trenton,  and 
from  Jamesburg  to  Monmouth  Junction,  was  con- 
stituted the  Amboy  Division,  and  Isaac  S.  Buckelew 
appointed  superintendent. 

In  1833,  James  C.  Stout  erected  a  small  building 
for  a  store,  near  the  present  crossing  of  Gatzmer 
avenue  with  the  Freehold  and  Jamesburg  Railroad. 
Nevertheless,  it  was  several  years  before  the  rail- 
road company  thought  it  advantageous  to  stop  for 
passengers  at  "  West's  Turnout,"  Spotswood  being 
the  nearest  stopping-place.  Probably  this  had 
something  to  do  with  the  success  of  the  store 
opposite  West's,  for  it  had  been  unoccupied  some- 
time, when  in  185 1  Mr.  J.  C.  Magee  renovated  it, 
and  opened  his  first  store  in  Jamesburg.  I  say 
"  Jamesburg,"  for  by  this  time  the  village  had 
acquired  its  name,  and  it  came  about  in  this  way. 
The  district  school-house  was  located  half  a  mile 
from  the  mill,  on  the  Englishtown  road.  In  1846 
there  was  a  division  of  the  district,  because  the 
trustees  refused  to  admit  a  colored  boy  to  the 
school.  One  district  built  the  school-house  now  at 
Monroe,  and  Mr.  James  Buckelew  built  a  brick 
school-house  on  the  lot,  now  the  parsonage  lot  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  the  use  of  which  he 
gave  to  the  district  for  many  years.  When  the 
building  was  completed,  the  question  arose,  what 
shall  we  call  our  school?     The  answer  rang  out. 


65 

"  Jamesburg,"  in  honor  of  the  man  by  whose  im- 
mense energy,  tireless  perseverance,  shrewdness, 
and  sound  judgment,  the  village  owed  its  bright 
prospects,  and  a  stone  was  cut  "Jamesburg,  1847," 
placed  on  the  gable  end,  from  whence  the  town 
acquires  its  name.  The  name  at  first  was  not  popu- 
lar on  the  railroad ;  perhaps  they  wanted  to  use  up 
the  old  tickets  marked  "Wests;"  at  any  rate,  the 
conductor  would  call  "  Wests,"  and  then  in  an 
undertone,  "  Jamesburg."  July  21st,  1845,  Jan^es 
Buckelew  and  Nathaniel  S.  Rue  established  a  stage 
line  between  Freehold  and  Jamesburg,  connecting 
with  the  railroad  for  New  York — fare  eighty-seven 
and  one-half  cents — carrying  in  the  second  year  of 
their  enterprise  five  thousand  and  seventy-four 
through  passengers.  Afterwards  they  established 
a  through  line  from  Philadelphia  to  Long  Branch, 
often  sending  out  from  here  as  many  as  thirty 
coaches  and  wagons  to  accommodate  their  patrons. 
Many  of  you  remember  with  what  pride  Dent 
Miller,  with  four  in  hand,  would  bring  in  his  heavy 
loads  of  passengers.  This  gave  way  to  the  Free- 
hold and  Jamesburg  Agricultural  Railroad,  which 
was  surveyed  in  185 1  by  Colonel  I.  S.  Buckelew, 
under  direction  of  General  William  Cook,  chief 
engineer  of  the  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad 
Company,  was  completed  so  that  regular  trains 
commenced  running  from  Freehold  July  i8th,  1853. 
Of  an  enterprise  so  largely  beneficial  to  the  com- 
munity, so  successfully  carried  out  and  maintained 
by  its  very  efficient  head,  we  are  justly  proud,  and 
gladly  record   the   honor  he   has  fairly  earned   of 


'66' 


being  the  superintendent  of  the  best-managed  rail- 
road in  our  country.  It  is  interesting  to  some  of 
us,  especially  to  residents  of  Upper  Jamesburg,  to 
recall  the  fact,  that  the  first  regular  morning  train 
left  Freehold  at  6.30  A.  M.,  running  through  to 
South  Ambo}%  and  connecting  there  with  the  New 
Brunswick  boat  for  New  York,  and  tnat  Charley 
Worts  was  the  engineer.  Wiseacres  would  shake 
their  heads  and  say,  "  that  boy  will  smash  every- 
thing to  pieces  and  send  his  passengers  to  Flan- 
ders;" but  Charley  still  lives  (and  so  does  his  repu- 
tation) as  a  bold,  firm,  and  faithful  engineer.  At 
this  period  in  our  history  there  arose  a  demand  for 
increased  mail  facilities,  Spotswood  being  the  near- 
est post  office,  and  sharing  with  Cranbury  in  the 
distribution  of  our  mail  matter.  I  am  told  that  it 
would  sometimes  require  two  weeks  for  the  transit 
of  letters  from  Brooklyn  here.  John  A.  Davison, 
who  had  kept  the  store  at  the  Mills  very  acceptably 
for  some  years,  on  account  of  failing  health  relin- 
quished the  business  in  1848,  and  was  succeeded 
by  James  Redmond.  Soon  after  assuming  the 
business  in  the  building  now  the  wheelwright-shop 
of  James  Buckelew's  sons,  then  standing  on  the 
lawn  east  of  the  bank,  Mr.  Redmond  received  his 
commission  as  first  postmaster  of  Jamesburg.  He 
retained  his  commission  until  1853,  although  for 
the  last  three  years  of  his  term  his  brother  William 
was  the  acting  postmaster.  In  1853,  Joseph  C. 
Magee  relinquished  the  old  store  opposite  West's 
tavern,  opened  a  store  in  the  building  erected  for 
that  purpose  b}'  Mr.  Buckelew,  beyond  the  bank, 


6/ 

and  succeeded  Mr.  Redmond  as  the  second  village 
postmaster,  which  position  he  retained  for  nearly 
fifteen  years.  He  was  succeeded  in  office  by  George 
Van  Artsdalen,  who  held  it  for  nine  or  ten  years, 
and  this  spring  turned  over  its  trust  to  our  present 
patriotic  postmaster,  Mr.  Harrison  W.  Crosby.  It 
was  not  until  after  Mr.  Magee  had  been  postmaster 
some  two  years  that  he  succeeded  in  having  a 
direct  mail  from  the  cities  of  Philadelphia  and  New 
York.  Previous  to  that  time,  all  our  mail  matter 
from  the  cities  was  sent  via  Freehold,  requiring 
from  two  to  three  days  for  the  transit.  The  next 
growth  of  our  place  manifested  itself  in  a  yearning 
after  greater  opportunities  for  spiritual  blessings  and 
Christian  worship.  Sunday-school  had  been  held 
in  the  old  school-house  at  Monroe,  for  a  number 
of  years  previous  to  its  removal,  conducted  by 
Billy  West,  of  West's  tavern.  Methodist  preach- 
ing had  also  been  frequently  held  there,  the 
father  of  Asbury  Fountain  often  coming  over  from 
Deep  Run  to  officiate.  After  the  building  of  the 
Jamesburg  School-house,  opportunity  was  given 
for  an  additional  Sunday-school,  and  through  the 
exertions  of  Mrs.  James  Buckelew  and  Alexander 
Redmond,  the  foundation  was  laid  of  the  now  pros- 
perous Jamesburg  Sunday-school.  God  blessing 
the  efforts  of  that  school,  a  few  years  witnessed 
the  commencement  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Organized  June  6th,  1854,  with  eleven  members; 
church  building  dedicated  June  26th,  1854,  which 
building  has  been  enlarged  two  or  three  times 
since,  and  now  has  seating  capacity  for  six  hundred 


68 


persons.  The  successive  pastors  have  been,  the 
Rev.  J.  Halstead  Carroll,  William  M.  Wells,  and 
Benjamin  S.  Everitt,  the  latter  still  ministering  to 
the  wants  of  his  flock.  The  wonderful  growth  of 
this  church,  from  a  membership  of  eleven  persons 
in  1854  to  that  of  four  hundred  and  twenty  in 
1876,  attests  alike  to  the  blessings  of  God  and  the 
faithfulness  of  his  people,  while  the  broad  and  lib- 
eral spirit  of  its  officers,  that  unites  into  one  band 
of  worshipers  and  workers  all  followers  of  the 
Master,  whatever  have  been  their  previous  prefer- 
ences of  doctrine,  attests  the  value  and  power  of 
Christian  unity,  and  breathes  of  the  millenial,  when 
there  shall  be  but  one  Shepherd  and  one  fold.  As 
the  church  prospered,  so  have  her  great  handmaids,, 
education  and  charity,  advanced  in  our  midst.  The 
school-house  built  by  Mr.  Buckelew  in  1847  was 
moved  to  its  present  site,  corner  of  Church  street 
and  Gatzmer  avenue,  in  1866,  to  make  room  for  the 
erection  of  a  parsonage.  A  two-story  building  was 
erected,  and  the  slab  seats  and  straight  benches 
gave  way  to  more  comfortable  backs  and  conveni- 
ent desks.  The  State  of  New  Jersey  itself  became 
wider  awake  on  the  subject  of  education,  enlarged 
and  liberal  ideas  were  scattered,  the  normal  school 
established,  school  fund  provided,  and  finally  modi- 
fied compulsory  education  adopted.  Under  such 
circumstances  we  could  not  help  growing,  and  the 
year  1875  found  us  clamoring  for  enlarged  rooms 
and  the  best  instructors.  Through  the  generosity 
of  Mrs.  James  Buckelew,  and  her  sons  and  daugh- 
ter, the  school-house  and  lot  were  deeded  to  the 


69 

district,  and  by  the  expenditure  of  ;^I500  the 
buildincf-  was  enlarged,  remodeled,  refurnished,  and 
ample  room  afforded  for  our  children  to  receive  the 
care  and  attention  of  skilled  teachers,  with  the  most 
improved  requisites  furnished.  A  desire  for  a  more 
advanced  system  of  education  led  the  Messrs. 
Buckelew,  in  1873,  to  erect  a  building  for  the 
Jamesburg  Institute,  and  Mr.  M.  Oakey,  in  the  fall 
of  that  year,  opened  his  school  under  that  title,  for 
the  instruction  of  young  men.  It  is  satisfactory  to 
note  that  his  labors  are  appreciated,  and  to  feel  that 
his  institute  will  grow  with  us.  With  the  develop- 
ment of  charity  came  the  organization  of  Fidelity 
Lodge,  No.  14,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
which  was  instituted  July  6th,  1870,  and  has  shown 
by  its  faithful  work  the  beauties  of  its  Order.  Their 
record  shows  a  membership  of  ninety  at  this  pres- 
ent time,  the  distribution  of  a  relief  fund  of  ^$400 
during  the  six  years  of  their  existence,  and  the 
accumulation  of  a  lodge  fund,  and  a  provision  for 
widows  and  orphans  of  $2000.  Soon  after  the 
organization  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Independent 
Order  of  Good  Templars  was  organized,  under  the 
name  of  Everitt  Lodge,  and  has  done  its  work  in 
the  temperance  cause.  Allied  to  the  power  and 
habit  of  dispensing  is  that  of  acquiring,  and  if  our 
people  were  taught  the  first,  certainly  opportunity 
should  be  given  for  the  development  of  the  latter. 
In  our  modern  system,  success  in  finances  is  closely 
allied  with  sound  banking  institutions.  The  founder 
of  Jamesburg,  early  in  the  history  of  national 
banks,  took  the  steps  essential  towards  supplying 


70 


that  need,  and  in  January,  1864,  in  connection  with 
his  sons  Isaac  S.,  John  D.,  and  F.  Lemuel  Bucke- 
lew,  Mr.  Joseph  C.  Magee,  John  G.  Schultz,  and 
Nathaniel  W.  Morris  (who  were  the  first  board  of 
directors),  and  some  twenty  of  their  neighbors, 
formed  the  two  hundred  and  eighty-eighth  national 
bank,  styled  the  First  National  Bank  of  Jamesburg. 
Twelve  years  have  passed,  and  its  surplus  fund,, 
now  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  its  capital  stock,  and 
the  return  of  never-failing  dividends  to  its  stock- 
holders, tell  of  success,  while  its  ;$  100,000  of  bills 
discounted  tell  of  so  much  fresh  capital  loaned  to 
the  community;  for  let  the  record  tell,  that  not  one 
dollar  of  purchased  paper  has  ever  passed  through 
its  books.  We  have  before  us  to-day  a  reminder 
of  still  another,  not  exactly  a  Jamesburg  institution, 
but  a  State  institution,  in  which  we  feel  a  deep  inter- 
est in  common  with  the  rest  of  our  citizens.  The 
New  Jersey  State  Reform  School,  located  on  a  farm 
of  nearly  five  hundred  acres,  two  miles  from  our 
town,  was  created  by  act  of  the  legislature  ten  years 
ago,  and  governed  by  a  board  of  trustees  appointed 
by  the  Governor,  has  sought  the  improvement  and 
elevation  of  boys  that  would  otherwise  be  likely  to 
fall  into  heavy  crimes  and  a  source  of  trouble  ta 
themselves  and  the  State.  Our  town  has  been  con- 
stantly represented  in  its  board  of  trustees  by  either 
Mr.  John  D.  Buckelew  or  his  brother,  Colonel 
Isaac  S.  Buckelew.  We  have  met  its  board  of 
officers  here  at  Jamesburg  and  at  the  school,  have 
met  the  boys  intrusted  to  their  care,  and  studied 
somewhat  the  problem  they  are  striving  to  work,. 


71 

and  we  feel,  what  I  think  most  of  you  feel,  that  the 
mantle  has  fallen  on  fit  shoulders,  and  that  the 
superintendent  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Reform 
School  is  imbued  with  a  soul  designed  by  God  for 
the  very  work  he  is  engaged  in.  and  that  some  of 
us  will  live  to  see  the  great  good  that  he  is  now 
accomplishing  for  those  boys  and  for  the  State. 

The  Jamesburg  Sunday-school  Convention, 
which  has  been  held  here  in  Wigwam  Grove  for 
the  past  ten  consecutive  years,  is  worthy  of  a 
moment's  consideration.  Founded  in  1866  by  Mr. 
J.  D.  Buckelew,  superintendent  of  the  Jamesburg 
Sunday-school,  in  connection  with  Mr.  Franklin 
Dey,  of  Mercer  county,  and  other  superintendents 
and  friends,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the  scholars 
a  picnic,  and  at  the  same  time  furnishing  them  and 
their  friends  with  exercises  and  addresses  calcu- 
lated to  both  instruct  and  enhance  the  interest  of 
Sunday-schools,  it  has  grown  into  a  convention 
of  magnitude,  requiring  the  management  of  a 
thoroughly  systematized  organization,  which  has 
been  found  in  the  board  of  officers  and  teachers  of 
the  Jamesburg  Sunday-school,  and  who  are  now 
recognized  as  ex  officio  the  Jamesburg  Sunday- 
school  Convention  Association.  The  convention  is 
held  at  Wigwam  Grove  on  the  fourth  Wednesday 
in  August  in  each  year,  and  strenuous  efforts 
made  for  addresses  from  able  and  popular  Sunday- 
school  workers  (representing  various  Christian 
denominations),  illustrations  of  the  most  improved 
methods  in  teaching,  together  with  attractive  and 
inspiring  music.     It  has  been  estimated  that  from 


72 

ten  to  twelve  thousand  persons  have  attended  this 
convention  annually  for  the  past  few  years. 

Fern  wood  Cemetery,  adjacent  to  Wigwam  Grove, 
beautifully  situated,  with  a  commanding  view  of 
the  lake  and  the  landscape  beyond  it,  hallowed  by 
its  associations  with  the  work  of  the  devoted  and 
faithful  Brainerds,  is  most  appropriately  set  apart 
for  its  sacred  purpose.  The  original  association 
was  formed  in  1853,  '^"'^  ^^^^  ^^'^t  land  selected  for 
cemetery  purposes  was  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad,  about  three-fourths 
of  a  mile  west  of  the  present  depot.  Objection 
being  made  to  its  location,  by  consent  of  its  lot- 
holders  it  was  changed  to  the  present  site,  and 
sanctioned  by  the  legislature,  who,  in  the  winter 
of  1 86 1,  passed  the  act  which  created  the  present 
"  Fernwood  Cemetery  Association."  Under  its 
present  charter,  Messrs.  T.  S.  Snedeker,  J.  C. 
Magee,  W.  H.  Courter,  J.  B.  Thompson,  and  C.  W. 
Johnson  were  its  first  board  of  trustees,  and  Mr. 
J.  D.  Buckelew,  treasurer.  The  plot  of  ground 
containing  a  little  over  three  acres  was  generously 
donated  to  the  association  by  Mr.  James  Bucke- 
lew. Among  the  first  family  plots  selected  and 
improved  was  one  by  Mr.  Buckelew.  On  the  shaft 
erected  to  his  memory  is  the  simple  inscription : 
"Born  August  13,  1801.  Died  May  30,  1869." 
There  are  at  present  seventy-one  lot-holders,  and 
the  interests  of  the  association  cared  for  by  Messrs. 
John  D.  Buckelew,  Cornelius  W.  Johnson,  William 
H.  Mount,  William  H.  Courter,  and  T.  Wilton 
Hill  as  trustees,  and  Mr.  F.  Lemuel  Buckelew  as 
treasurer. 


73 

The  Jamesburg  Agricultural  Society  was  form- 
ally organized  on  the  27th  of  April,  1853,  with 
Mr.  James  Buckelew  as  president,  and  Joseph  C. 
Magee  and  William  H.  Courter  as  secretaries. 
The  society  was  nominally  in  existence  the  previous 
year  and  consisted  of  the  following  gentlemen : — 
James  Buckelew,  Alexander  Redmond,  Aaron 
Gulick,  Samuel  R.  Forman,  Charles  Middleton, 
Thomas  S.  Snedeker,  Ralph  C.  Stults,  Frederick 
Farr,  and  Stephen  Van  Wickle.  They  organized 
and  held  an  agricultural  fair,  October  6th,  1852, 
for  the  sale,  purchase,  and  exhibition  of  stock, 
farming  implements,  and  produce,  offering  no  pre- 
miums, but  giving  every  opportunity  for  a  free  and 
complete  exhibit  of  everything  useful  to  the  farmer. 
The  fair  was  a  success,  and  resulted  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  society,  having  for  its  object  the  benefit 
and  improvement  of  the  farming  community. 
Fairs  were  held  here  for  five  years,  attracting 
many  visitors  and  disseminating  much  good.  The 
society  was  the  first  of  its  kind  organized  in  the 
county, — in  fact,  for  a  number  of  years,  the  only 
society.  Of  late  years  it  has  confined  its  labors  to 
the  distribution  of  seeds  and  miscellaneous  docu- 
ments through  its  corresponding  secretary,  William 
H.  Courter. 

The  Jamesburg  Mutual  Building  and  Loan  Asso- 
ciation was  organized  February  i8th,  1869,  agree- 
ably to  act  of  the  legislature  passed  February, 
1849.  At  first  the  number  of  shares  was  only 
three  hundred  and  forty-nine,  but  as  the  associ- 
ation  proved    successful,   additional    shares   were 


74 

taken  from  time  to  time,  and  in  October,  1872,  a 
second  series  was  started  with  five  hundred  and 
forty-three  shares.  The  association  has  loaned  to 
its  members  $81,000  on  bond  and  mortgage  on 
property  located  mostly  in  Jamesburg.  At  the 
present  time  the  shares  in  the  first  series  are  four 
hundred  and  twenty-five,  valued  at  $128.29  each, 
and  in  the  second  series  five  hundred  and  three 
shares,  valued  at  fifty-six  dollars  and  ninety-one 
cents  each.  The  officers  of  the  association  consist 
of  J.  C.  Magee,  president;  John  H.  Heath,  vice- 
president;  George  S.  Courter,  secretary :  T.Wilton 
Hill,  treasurer;  William  H.  Courter,  solicitor;  J- 
D.  Buckelew,  V.  W.  Mount,  Samuel  Marryott, 
F.  L.  Buckelew,  H.  W.  Crosby,  George  A.  Shultz, 
and  W.  E.  Paxton,  directors.  But  I  fear,  fellow- 
citizens,  I  am  trying  your  patience,  yet  there  is 
much  that  could  be  told.  You  are  mostly  familiar 
with  the  growth  of  our  town  since  1866,  when  Mr. 
Magee  moved  to  his  up-town  store.  How  gradu- 
ally house  after  house  has  gone  up.  I  will  only 
say  in  regard  to  that  growth,  that  a  private  memo- 
randum, found  in  Mr.  J.  D.  Buckelew's  diary,  gives 
the  census  of  our  village  complete,  in  1855,  as 
follows,  thirty  houses  and  two  hundred  inhabitants  ; 
while  the  census  taken  last  week  enumerates  one 
hundred  and  thirty  houses  and  six  hundred  and 
ninety-seven  inhabitants.  We  have  in  our  village 
a  manufacturing  establishment,  completed  during 
the  last  few  years,  that  must  affect  us  very  materi- 
ally. The  shirt  manufactory  of  Downs,  Gourlay 
&   Finch  gives  employment  to  four  hundred  per- 


75 

sons  of  our  village  and  vicinity,  distributing- 
wages  amounting  from  ^lOOO  to  ^1500  per  week. 
Another  decade  may  tell  of  wonderful  results 
springing  from  this  first  manufacturing  enterprise 
of  our  village.  I  might  tell  of  our  patriotism.  In 
the  days  of  the  Revolution  our  whole  State  was 
forward  in  the  cause  of  liberty  and  freedom.  In 
1778,  when  the  British  evacuated  Philadelphia, 
and  the  American  army  pursued,  the  memorable 
days  of  June  26th,  27th,  and  28th  found  the  in- 
habitants of  this  vicinity  on  the  alert,  especially  as 
a  part  of  Washington's  army  passed  within  hailing 
distance.  When  the  cry  of  victory  came  they 
united  with  old  Monmouth,  and  are  to  this  day  as 
proud  as  she  to  recall  the  heroism  of  that  noble 
woman,  whose  memory  is  revived  by  a  tardy  but 
suitable  tablet  now  being  erected  at  Carlisle,  Penn- 
sylvania. Let  us  not  forget  the  heroine,  Molly 
Pitcher.  The  war  of  181 2  had  its  patriots  from 
our  midst,  and  our  State,  to  this  day,  regularly 
reminds  two  venerable  ladies  of  our  town  the  debt 
of  gratitude  she  owes  the  memory  of  their  dear 
ones  for  lives  sacrificed  on  their  country's  altar. 
In  the  rebellion,  our  township  and  town  were  firm 
and  true.  The  monument  erected  in  the  yard  of 
the  first  church  at  Cranbury  bears  witness  to  the 
long  list  of  heroes  who  gave  their  lives  to  the  holy 
cause;  and  the  pen  of  the  historian  has  already 
given  an  immortality  to  their  names  and  records. 
To-day,  the  military  bearing  of  our  marshal  recalls 
the  faithful  major  of  the  gallant  Fourteenth  New 
Jersey  Volunteers,  and  the  captain  of  our  cavalcade 


76 

earned  his  title  by  meritorious  conduct  on  the 
field,  while  Company  H  of  the  Fourteenth,  and 
other  New  Jersey  regiments,  have  their  repre- 
sentatives among  us.  Let  it  be  remembered  to 
the  honor  and  credit  alike  of  the  committee  and 
our  township,  that  in  response  to  the  demands  of 
the  President  for  our  quota  in  1864,  a  subscription 
was  taken  for  the  placing  of  the  requisite  number 
of  men  in  the  field,  and  so  generous  was  the  re- 
sponse that  only  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  money 
subscribed  was  required,  the  remaining  fifty  per 
cent,  being  returned  to  the  subscribers  pro  rata. 
That  committee  consisted  of  Ezekiel  Silvers,  Gil- 
bert S.  Davison,  and  Isaac  S.  Buckelew.  James- 
burg  has  been  ably  represented  by  her  sons  from 
time  to  time  in  our  legislative  halls  as  well  as  in 
various  county  offices,  and  rejoices  to-day  in  the 
presence  of  Mr.  John  D.  Buckelew,  at  home  on 
furlough  from  his  mission  as  United  States  consul 
at  Stettin,  Germany.  God  grant  that  we  all  may 
ever  try  to  maintain  the  glory  of  our  town  as  ably 
as  it  has  been  done,  and  have  as  pure  a  record  left 
for  our  children's  children! 


STATEMENT  OF  THE  CONDITION 

OF   THE 

FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK  AT  JAMESBURG,  N.  J. 

Monday  Evening,  July  3d,  1876. 


Resources. 


Notes  and  bills  discounted, 

United  States  bonds   deposited   with 

United  States  Treasurer, 
United  States  bonds  on  hand, 
Other  bonds,  stocks,  and  mortgages. 
Due  from  Ninth  National  Bank,  New 

York,  redeeming  agent, . 
Due  from  other  national  banks. 
Five  per  cent,  fund  with  United  States 
Treasurer  for  redemption  of  circu- 
lation,     ...... 

United  States  Treasurer  (for  redemp- 
tion),      ...... 

Cash  on  hand  in  national  bank-notes, 
Cash  on  hand  in  fractional  currency, . 
Cash  on  hand  in  silver  coin, 
Cash  on  hand  in  legal-tender  notes,    . 


(77) 


^94,591 

84 

75,000 

00 

10,000 

00 

24,850 

00 

11,613 

30 

6,942 

18 

3,375 

00 

1,500 

00 

2,658 

00 

115 

51 

83 

00 

7,500 

1 

00 

;^238,228 

8S 

78 

Liabilities. 

Capital, 

Surplus  fund, 

Undivided  profits, 

Circulation, 

Individual  deposits, 

Due  to  other  national  banks. 


^75,000  00 

19.519  54 

1,434  13 

67,500  00 

73.331  97 
1.443   19 


;^238,228  83 


First  National  Bank,  Jamesburg,  N.  J. 

Directors : 

Isaac  S.  Buckelew,  1    John  D.  Buckelew, 

Joseph  C.  Magee,  George  H.  Townsend, 

F.  Lemuel  Buckelew. 

President, 
Isaac  S.  Buckelew. 

CasJiier, 
T.  Wilton  Hill. 

Former  Directors  : 


James  Buckelew, 
Nathaniel  W.  Morris, 


John  G.  Shultz, 
James  Applegate. 


Former  Cashiers  : 
William  H.  Courter,  Benjamin  Snyder. 


I 


'i 


\ 


'j« 


